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T E A M F L Y
The AMA Handbook of Business Letters T H I R D E D I T I O N
The AMA Handbook of Business Letters T H I R D E D I T I O N J E F F R E Y L . S E G L I N W I T H E D W A R D C O L E M A N American Management Association New York • Atlanta • Brussels • Buenos Aires • Chicago • London • Mexico City San Francisco • Shanghai • Tokyo • Toronto • Washington, D.C.
Special discounts on bulk quantities of AMACOM books are available to corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. For details, contact Special Sales Department, AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Tel.: 212-903-8316 Fax: 212-903-8083 Web site: www.amacombooks.org This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Seglin, Jeffrey L., 1956– The AMA handbook of business letters / Jeffrey L. Seglin with Edward Coleman.—3rd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. @Bookz ISBN 0-8144-0665-3 1. Commercial correspondence—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Letter writing— Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Coleman, Edward, 1968– II. Amacom. III. Title. HF5726 .S42 2002 651.7⬘5—dc21 2001053995 娀 2002 Jeffrey L. Seglin All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Although this publication is subject to copyright, permission is granted free of charge to photocopy the pages that are required by each user and to print and use pages from the enclosed CD. Only the original purchaser may make photocopies and print and use pages. Under no circumstances is it permitted to sell or distribute on a commercial basis material reproduced from this publication. Except as provided above, this publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Printing number 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Contents Preface to the Third Edition xiii Preface to the Second Edition xv Preface to the First Edition xvii PART I. The Basics 1 Approaching This Book 1 Approach of This Book 2 CHAPTER 1. Planning the Letter 3 Researching the Facts 4 Analyzing the Subject and Reader 5 Knowing Your Objectives and How to Accomplish Them 6 CHAPTER 2. Components of an Effective Letter 8 Language—Clarity vs. Ambiguity 8 Tone—Personality 11 Focus of Attention—The ‘‘You Attitude’’ 13 Length 15 CHAPTER 3. Structure: The Parts of a Letter 16 Dateline 16 Reference Line 17 Personal or Confidential Note 17 Inside Address 18 Attention Note 20 Salutation 21 Subject Line 22 Paragraphs 22 Continuation Sheets 23 Complimentary Close 24 Signature Block 25 vii
viii CONTENTS Identification Line 26 Enclosure and Attachment Notations 27 Distribution Notation 27 Postscript 28 CHAPTER 4. Appearance of the Letter 29 Stationery 29 Various Formats for Letter Writing 31 Full Block 31 Block 33 Semiblock 34 Simplified Letter 34 Official Style 37 Hanging Indented 38 Envelopes 40 Memorandums 40 Faxes 42 E-Mail 42 Notes 45 CHAPTER 5. Grammar 46 Grammar 46 Wrong Pronouns 47 Pronouns and Antecedents 49 Subject and Verb Agreement 49 Dangling Modifiers 51 Split Infinitives 52 Parallel Structure 52 Punctuation 53 Capitalization 53 Spelling 53 Jargon 53 Clichés 54 Wordiness 54 CHAPTER 6. Word Processing 56 Word-Processing Software 56 Using Model Letters 57 PART II. The Letters 61 CHAPTER 7. Sales, Marketing, and Public Relations Letters 63 Letters of Introduction (Sample Letters 7.1–7.7) 63 Sales Letters (Sample Letters 7.8–7.22) 72 Letter Accompanying Renewal Notice (Sample Letter 7.23) 91 Letter Announcing a Special Presentation (Sample Letter 7.24) 92 Catalog Letters (Sample Letters 7.25–7.27) 93 Sales Inquiry Response (Sample Letter 7.28) 97 Appointment Requests (Sample Letters 7.29–7.32) 98
ix CONTENTS Letters of Interest (Sample Letters 7.33–7.34) 101 Letter to Difficult-to-See Prospect (Sample Letter 7.35) 104 Letter to Find Decision Maker (Sample Letter 7.36) 105 Letters Confirming Proposals (Sample Letters 7.37–7.39) 106 Follow-Up Letters (Sample Letters 7.40–7.46) 109 Letter to Renew Contact (Sample Letter 7.47) 117 Letter Welcoming New Client (Sample Letter 7.48) 118 Letter Asking for Referral (Sample Letter 7.49) 119 Letter Promoting Special Sale (Sample Letter 7.50) 121 Letter to Wish Existing Customer Holiday Greetings (Sample Letter 7.51) 122 Letter to Acknowledge Anniversary of a Sales Relationship (Sample Letter 7.52) 122 Public Relations Letters (Sample Letters 7.53–7.60) 123 CHAPTER 8. Customer Service Letters 134 Complaint Resolution Letters (Sample Letters 8.1–8.9) 134 Apology Letters (Sample Letters 8.10–8.19) 145 Letter Acknowledging Order (Sample Letter 8.20) 154 Letter to Customer Who Mistakenly Returned Merchandise (Sample Letter 8.21) 155 Letters Correcting Wrong Shipment (Sample Letters 8.22–8.23) 156 Product or Service Information Letters (Sample Letters 8.24–8.29) 158 Thank-You Letters to Customers (Sample Letters 8.30–8.34) 163 Letter to Lapsed Customer (Sample Letter 8.35) 168 Pricing Letters (Sample Letters 8.36–8.38) 169 Change-in-Location Letter (Sample Letter 8.39) 172 Project Status Letters (Sample Letters 8.40–8.43) 174 Product-Handling Letter (Sample Letter 8.44) 178 Letter Explaining Regulatory Impact on Client (Sample Letter 8.45) 179 Subscription Response Letters (Sample Letters 8.46–8.50) 181 Letters to Stockholders (Sample Letters 8.51–8.63) 186 CHAPTER 9. Credit and Collection Letters 201 Letter Requesting Commercial Credit (Sample Letter 9.1) 201 Credit Information Letters (Sample Letters 9.2–9.3) 202 Letters Announcing Credit Policy Change (Sample Letters 9.4–9.5) 204 Returned-Check Letters (Sample Letters 9.6–9.8) 207 Credit Bureau Complaint (Sample Letter 9.9) 210 Credit Reference Letters (Sample Letters 9.10–9.12) 211 Letter Denying Credit (Sample Letter 9.13) 214 Letters Granting Credit (Sample Letters 9.14–9.16) 215 Letter Raising Credit Limit (Sample Letter 9.17) 219 Letter Clearing Disputed Items (Sample Letter 9.18) 219 Stop-Payment Letter (Sample Letter 9.19) 220 Collection Letters (Sample Letters 9.20–9.30) 221 Credit-Suspension Letter (Sample Letter 9.31) 231 Letter Reinstating Credit (Sample Letter 9.32) 232 Letters Accepting Partial Payment (Sample Letters 9.33–9.35) 233 Letter Acknowledging Payment (Sample Letter 9.36) 236
x CONTENTS Letter About Deposit Due (Sample Letter 9.37) 236 Letter to Lender to Renegotiate Payment Terms (Sample Letter 9.38) 237 Letter from Customer About Billing Error (Sample Letter 9.39) 239 CHAPTER 10. Letters to Vendors and Suppliers 240 Letter Placing Order (Sample Letter 10.1) 240 Letter Requesting Free Materials (Sample Letter 10.2) 241 Letter Requesting Distributor’s Name (Sample Letter 10.3) 242 Letter Seeking Information About Product (Sample Letter 10.4) 243 Letter Asking About Quantity Discounts (Sample Letter 10.5) 244 Letters Complimenting Vendors (Sample Letters 10.6–10.7) 245 Letters Clearing Up Billing Errors (Sample Letters 10.8–10.9) 248 Letters Complaining to Vendors (Sample Letters 10.10–10.11) 250 Letter Cancelling Contract (Sample Letter 10.12) 252 Letter Firing Vendor Because of Economic Conditions (Sample Letter 10.13) 253 CHAPTER 11. Personnel Letters 255 Job Interview Request Letters (Sample Letters 11.1–11.5) 255 Letters Accompanying Résumés (Sample Letters 11.6–11.9) 261 Letter Withdrawing Candidacy for a Position (Sample Letter 11.10) 266 Letters Responding to Job Applications (Sample Letters 11.11–11.25) 267 Letters Thanking People Who Recommended Applicants (Sample Letters 11.26–11.27) 282 Job-Offer Letters (Sample Letters 11.28–11.34) 284 Letters Accepting or Rejecting Job Offers (11.35–11.37) 292 Letter Welcoming New Employee (Sample Letter 11.38) 294 Recommendation Letters (Sample Letters 11.39–11.43) 295 Commendation Letters (Sample Letters 11.44–11.51) 300 Review Letter (Sample Letter 11.52) 308 Letters About Job Promotions (Sample Letters 11.53–11.54) 310 New-Employee Announcement Letter (Sample Letter 11.55) 312 Letters Requesting and Refusing Raises (Sample Letters 11.56–11.58) 313 Letter Introducing Outside Person (Sample Letter 11.59) 317 No-Longer-with-Us Letters (Sample Letters 11.60–11.61) 318 Letter of Resignation (Sample Letter 11.62) 320 Retirement Letters (Sample Letters 11.63–11.64) 321 Letter Granting Leave of Absence (Sample Letter 11.65) 323 Letter Demoting Employee Because of Economic Conditions (Sample Letter 11.66) 324 Reprimand (Sample Letter 11.67) 325 Termination Letters (Sample Letters 11.68–11.72) 326 Letter Acknowledging Anniversary Date (Sample Letter 11.73) 333 Letter Announcing Staff Changes (Sample Letter 11.74) 334 Motivation Letter to Employees (Sample Letter 11.75) 335 Farewell Letter to Employee (Sample Letter 11.76) 337 CHAPTER 12. Transmittal Letters 339 Letters Transmitting Payment (Sample Letters 12.1–12.6) 339 Letter Transmitting Contracts (Sample Letter 12.7) 344 T E A M F L Y
xi CONTENTS Letters Transmitting Requested Materials (Sample Letters 12.8–12.9) 345 Letter Transmitting Manuscript (Sample Letter 12.10) 347 Letter Transmitting Manuscript to Reviewer (Sample Letter 12.11) 348 Letter Transmitting Final Invoice (Sample Letter 12.12) 349 CHAPTER 13. Confirmation Letters 351 Letter Confirming Supplier’s Oral Instructions (Sample Letter 13.1) 351 Letter Confirming Prices and Quantity Discounts (Sample Letter 13.2) 352 Letter Confirming Arrangements for Speakers (Sample Letter 13.3) 353 Letter Confirming Appointment (Sample Letter 13.4) 354 Letter Confirming Travel Plans (Sample Letter 13.5) 355 Letter Confirming Telephone Conversation (Sample Letter 13.6) 356 Letter Confirming Telegram (Sample Letter 13.7) 357 Letters Confirming Receipt of Materials (Sample Letters 13.8–13.9) 358 Letter Confirming Assignment (Sample Letter 13.10) 360 CHAPTER 14. Request Letters 362 Letter Requesting Information About Accommodations (Sample Letter 14.1) 362 Letter Requesting Information About Seminars (Sample Letter 14.2) 363 Letter Requesting Assistance (Sample Letter 14.3) 364 Letters Requesting Return of Material (Sample Letters 14.4–14.6) 366 Letter Requesting Material from Speaker (Sample Letter 14.7) 368 Letter Requesting Correction on Charge Account (Sample Letter 14.8) 369 Letter Requesting Reprint of Article (Sample Letter 14.9) 370 Letter Requesting Subscription Cancellation (Sample Letter 14.10) 371 Letter Requesting Catalog (Sample Letter 14.11) 372 Letter Requesting Free Products (Sample Letter 14.12) 373 Letter Requesting Information About a New Product (Sample Letter 14.13) 374 Letter Requesting Pricing Information (Sample Letter 14.14) 375 CHAPTER 15. Replies 377 Letter Acknowledging Order (Sample Letter 15.1) 377 Letter Acknowledging Registration for Conference (Sample Letter 15.2) 378 Remittance Letter (Sample Letter 15.3) 379 Response to Request for Clarification (Sample Letter 15.4) 380 Response to Request for Information About Member of Organization (Sample Letter 15.5) 381 Letter Responding to Request for Information from a Government Agency (Sample Letter 15.6) 383 Letters Responding to Requests for Materials (Sample Letters 15.7–15.9) 384 Letter Replying to a Sales Letter (Sample Letter 15.10) 387 Letter Responding to a Request for a Catalog (Sample Letter 15.11) 388 Letter Responding to a Request for Free Products (Sample Letter 15.12) 389 Letter Responding to Request for Information About a New Product (Sample Letter 15.13) 390 Letters Responding to Requests to Be a Speaker (Sample Letters 15.14–15.15) 391
xii CONTENTS CHAPTER 16. Permissions Letters 393 Letters Seeking Permission to Reprint (Sample Letters 16.1–16.4) 393 Letters Indicating More Information Needed for Permission (Sample Letters 16.5–16.6) 397 Letters Granting Permission (Sample Letters 16.7–16.8) 399 Letters Denying Permission (Sample Letters 16.9–16.10) 401 Cover Letter for Contract (Sample Letter 16.11) 403 Letter Requesting Reversion of Rights (Sample Letter 16.12) 404 CHAPTER 17. Social, Personal, and Miscellaneous Letters 406 Thank-You Letters (Sample Letters 17.1–17.19) 406 Invitations (Sample Letters 17.20–17.25) 423 Responses to Invitations (Sample Letters 17.26–17.34) 429 Letter Expressing Interest in Speaking (Sample Letter 17.35) 437 Letter Reserving Meeting Facility (Sample Letter 17.36) 438 Letter Requesting Membership in a Club (Sample Letter 17.37) 439 Follow-Up Letter to Speech Attendees (Sample Letter 17.38) 441 Letter Expressing Compliments on an Article (Sample Letter 17.39) 442 Birthday Greetings Letter (Sample Letter 17.40) 443 Birth Congratulations Letter (Sample Letter 17.41) 443 Public Service and Fund-Raising Letters (Sample Letters 17.42–17.49) 444 Congratulations-on-New-Position Letters (Sample Letters 17.50–17.51) 455 Letters to Sick Employees, Acquaintances (Sample Letters 17.52–17.54) 457 Condolence Letter (Sample Letter 17.55) 459 Letter Congratulating Someone on a Business Opening (Sample Letter 17.56) 460 Letter Announcing Retirement (Sample Letter 17.57) 461 PART III. Appendixes 463 Appendix I. Words to Watch 465 Appendix II. Punctuation 471 Appendix III. Abbreviations 477 Appendix IV. Grammar Hotline Directory 481 Bibliography 499 Index 503
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Preface to the Third Edition The thirteen years that have passed since the publication of the first edition of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters have witnessed the takeoff of the Internet and its use as a vehicle through which to communicate. Billions of e-mail messages pass through American businesses every day. The immediacy with which we now can and expect to communicate with col- leagues, prospective colleagues, and strangers has had a tremendous im- pact on the volume of correspondence we send and receive. We thought it was a good time to update this book to reflect some of the changes in the business environment since the second edition appeared in 1996. The fundamentals of good letter writing remained unchanged since the first edition appeared in 1989. But the choices we have in how we deliver our letters and where we can find information that can be helpful in writing correspondence have grown. We’ve updated this edition with a wider variety of model letters; a careful editing and updating of the entire book to better reflect today’s workplace; and the most current edition of the Grammar Hotline Directory with e-mail and Web site addresses, where you can go to get real-time help with grammar, usage, and writing ques- tions. Ellen Kadin, our editor at AMACOM, has been a terrific advocate for the new edition since the beginning. The advice and detailed punch list given us by Christina McLaughlin, a development editor at AMACOM, was immensely helpful in creating a new edition that was as useful and hands-on as possible for readers, and one that includes more than 365 model letters. Erika Spelman, an associate editor at AMACOM, shep- herded the book through the production process. Tom Williams and Pat Richardson, both of the Writing Center at Tidewater Community College, helped us incorporate the most current edition of the Grammar Hotline xiii
xiv PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION Directory. Evan Marshall, our agent, helped get the new edition done. We’re also thankful for the contributions of Nancy Seglin, David White- myer, Bethany Whitemyer, Lisa Freiman, and Loren Gary to the project. Edward Coleman, who collaborated on this new edition, came to it with a fresh eye and a critical sense of what worked, what needed fixing, and what needed to be added. The improvements in this new edition are largely due to his efforts. We’re also grateful to readers of previous editions who have sent us letters or e-mails with questions, suggestions, or ideas for this new edition. In an effort to continue to make future editions of the book as useful as possible, we’d like to ask your help once again. If you have ideas for new features or types of letters you’d like to see included in future editions, or if you have observations or questions, send them to: Jeffrey L. Seglin, Au- thor, The AMA Handbook of Business Letters, c/o AMACOM, 1601 Broad- way, New York, NY 10019. Or send e-mail to: jseglin@post.harvard.edu. Jeffrey L. Seglin Boston, Massachusetts September 2001
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Preface to the Second Edition It’s remarkable how quickly the years have passed since the publication of the first edition of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters. While much has changed during that time, the basic fundamentals of letter writing have remained the same. Still, we felt it was time that we updated the book with a much wider selection of model letters, updates to reflect today’s work setting, the most current Grammar Hotline Directory, and new information that acknowledges how prevalent a role technology now plays in our daily lives. Mary Glenn, Mike Sivilli, and Robert Griffin at AMACOM contrib- uted greatly to this new edition of the book, which contains more than 320 model letters, as well as new material on writing e-mail and faxes. I’d like to make this book as useful as possible for you. Perhaps the best way to do that is to enlist your help. If you have ideas for new features or types of letters you’d like to see included in future editions, or if you have observations you’d like to make and questions you’d like answered, send them to: Jeffrey L. Seglin, c/o AMACOM, 1601 Broadway, New York, New York 10019. Or e-mail me at: jls@world.std.com. Jeffrey L. Seglin Boston, Massachusetts October 1995 xv
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Preface to the First Edition Several years ago, I was asked by a financial publisher to write a book on letter writing for bankers. I was puzzled about the need for such a book. Surely bankers who had risen to any level of responsibility knew how to write. Why did they need a book to show them the way? I agreed to write the book. Dozens of generous bankers offered to open their files to me. I was shocked. Not only was there a fundamental lack of basic letter-writing skills, there also was a dearth of bankers who knew basic writing skills. The bankers who helped me with that book kept telling me how unskilled the writers were with whom they dealt. But I was surprised to find the volume of correspondence that was going out with grammatical mistakes, usage problems, unclear statements, and nonstan- dard letter formatting. Several thousand copies and a second edition later, I am more con- vinced than ever that bankers are clamoring for a book that shows them how to write better letters. But I’ve also become convinced that the need doesn’t stop with bankers. Professionals in all walks of the business world are in need of a book that can help them hone their letter-writing skills. The AMA Handbook of Business Letters is designed to answer that need. It will arm professionals with both the skills needed to be good letter writers and more than 270 model letters on which to base their own correspondence. The AMA Hand- book of Business Letters will not just show you how to write better letters; it will show you how to write better. Sections on grammar, usage, and word processing in the first part of the book complement the sections on basic letter-writing skills. The second part of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters is the heart of the book. Here, more than 270 model letters have been collected. The vast majority xvii
xviii PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION of them are based on actual letters that were used in business. They were chosen to represent the broad spectrum of the type of letters professionals will most commonly have to write. The names of the people, companies, and products have all been disguised. If a name resembles an actual name, it is purely by coincidence. Part III features a host of appendixes that give you the tools you can use to build better writing skills. Sections giving tips on punctuation, frequently misused words, and abbreviations are featured. The Grammar Hotline Directory lists dozens of telephone hotlines around the country that will answer your grammar questions. These hotlines can be a saving grace to the professional trying to put the finishing touches on an important letter. The only way that a book like this could ever have been completed is through the cooperation of many professionals who were kind enough to open their files to me and let me pore over their correspondence. Among the professionals without whose help the book would never have reached completion are: Peggy R. Broekel, W. Loren Gary, Lisa T. Gary, Beall D. Gary, Jr., of Haskell Slaughter & Young, Dr. Lindsey Harlan, Martha Jew- ett, Joan Kenney, Jim Lewis, Sam Mickelberg (owner of Sam’s Camera Shop), Howard Palay, Patti Palay, Louis J. Roffinoli, owner of Woodcraft, Matthew Rovner, Lester Seglin, Nancy Seglin, Mark Stoeckle, Bethany Coleman, and John Waggoner. Donna Reiss Friedman, director of the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline at Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was kind enough to grant me permission to reprint the Grammar Hotline Di- rectory that her center compiles every year. Adrienne Hickey, my editor at AMACOM, worked with me patiently to get the manuscript in the best possible shape for publication. Her sug- gestions for organization and letters were invaluable. Evan Marshall, my agent, was once again a wonderful sounding board for the project. On many occasions he was able to get me out of a quagmire that resulted from hundreds of letters cluttering my office. Robert Roen, publisher of the book division at the Bank Administra- tion Institute, has been a diehard supporter of this project. Bob is responsi- ble for the original idea of a book on letter writing for bankers. It is as a result of his idea and his support on this and countless other projects that I was able to complete this book. Jeffrey L. Seglin Boston, Massachusetts July 1989
● ● ● ● ● PART I ● ● ● ● ● The Basics All letters methinks, should be as free and easy as one’s discourse, not studied as an oration. . . . Dorothy Osborne (Lady Temple) Letter to Sir William Temple, October 1653 Successful professionals know the importance of effective letter writing. You can’t have a good business relationship with customers if they don’t know what you’re trying to tell them in a letter. The services or products of a company cannot be marketed if a prospective customer is baffled by the service or product described. How can a salesperson expect to make a sale when, because of a muddled letter, the prospect can’t even understand what it is that’s being sold? Letter writing is crucial to the success of every professional. Without letter-writing skills, the professional’s effectiveness is stymied. Approaching This Book The objective of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters is to help you write effective letters. Ineffective letters are a waste of time and money. This realization should be enough to convince every professional of the need to be a good letter writer. Letters may not seem like the crux of your business, but if you consider that effectively written letters can increase the quality of working relationships and the quantity of business you can attract, and decrease wasted hours and money, you can begin to see the importance of learning to write letters well. You should be prepared to approach this book with one chief goal in mind—to learn how to write effective letters. Remember, too, that al- 1
2 THE BASICS though letter writing is not a simple skill, with practice you can become a good letter writer. Once you learn the basics and put them into practice, your letters will get better and begin to flow more easily. Approach of This Book Before you begin to write more effective letters, you must learn what makes up a good letter. The first part of this book takes you step-by-step through the basics of letter writing. You’ll learn the importance of plan- ning a letter and gathering all the information you need. The plan is put into practice when you decide on the approach your letter will take and the components necessary to achieve the selected approach. The compo- nents of a letter are effective only if you know the proper mechanics in- volved in a letter’s structure and appearance. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and language usage are important if your letter is to be under- stood and well accepted by its reader. You needn’t fear an extensive course in grammar. What you’ll receive here are the fundamental ‘‘common- sense’’ rules of grammar, which are easily learned and should become nat- ural not only to your letter writing, but to all of your other writing as well. There is also a chapter in Part I on word processing. While it won’t answer all of the technical questions you might have about the uses of computers in an office environment, it will guide you toward effectively using both the information and letters in The AMA Handbook of Business Letters on your word-processing system. The second part of this book consists of more than 365 sample letters, divided into categories reflecting various aspects of business. Each chapter also contains a brief analysis of the strong points of many of the sample letters. Most of the sample letters are based on those that were written and used by professionals. Names of people or corporations have been changed, but the content remains essentially unaltered. The letters chosen serve as models for those you may have to write in your everyday business life. You can adapt them to meet your needs or use them as a touchstone to aim toward in your letter writing. The four appendixes to this book consist of helpful lists and rules to refer to in your letter writing. The annotated bibliography directs you to and gives you a brief synopsis of books and publications that may be of use to you in increasing the effectiveness of your letters. As with all things, perfection can be reached only with practice. If you apply the basics learned in the first part of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters, and study the examples presented in the second, your letter-writing skills will become more effective. The end result will be making your read- ers think that what took much thought and planning on your part flowed as smoothly and effortlessly as discourse.
● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 1 ● ● ● ● ● Planning the Letter Planning is a key factor in the accomplishment of any goal. Letter writing is no exception. To successfully construct a clear, effective letter, you need a good plan. Some letters do not require as elaborate a plan as others. A letter to a customer detailing a proposal for a product purchase will obviously need a more elaborate plan than a thank-you note for a business lunch. Common sense can usually dictate how elaborate your plan needs to be. If the information you need to present in a letter is limited enough for you to outline it in your head, there is no real need for an elaborate outline featuring Roman numeral headings and subpoints beneath subpoints. The elaborateness of your plan should suit the elaborateness of the letter to be written. Of course, if you, as a letter writer, are more comfortable constructing detailed outlines for each of your letters, there is nothing wrong with fol- lowing that procedure. With enough practice, however, the simpler letters should flow more easily, and the time you might have spent laboring over outline after outline can be directed more constructively to other areas of your business. The following three steps are essential in the planning of any letter: 1. Researching the facts 2. Analyzing the subject and reader 3. Knowing your objectives and how to accomplish them If you follow these steps as you are planning to write any letter, you should find that your letters will be clear and well received, and will achieve your desired goal. 3 T E A M F L Y
4 THE BASICS Researching the Facts Before you write a letter, it makes sense to know what you plan to talk about. If you wing it and write whatever comes into your head, chances are you will end up with a confused, ineffective letter. Get the facts together prior to composing anything resembling a first draft of a letter. For example, if you are corresponding with a customer, examine all previous correspondence with him or her. Depending upon the volume of this correspondence, and assuming the customer to be a fairly good letter writer, you can learn a good deal about the personality, interests, and values of the person to whom you are writing. As you examine previous correspondence, jot down a note or two about some key traits you discover about this customer. For example, you have gone through your correspondence file for a customer named Sam Johnson. From what he has written you realize the following things about him. He: 䊳 Is committed to existing business relationships 䊳 Places importance on a personal relationship between the profes- sional and the customer 䊳 Often suggests ideas for improving business practices and profes- sional/customer relationships 䊳 Has a strong interest in reducing costs After jotting down this information, try to visualize the person to whom you are writing. You know something about the customer’s inter- ests. To learn more, you might examine the file on business dealings with the customer. If you learn as much as possible about your reader, it will be easier to write a letter that is directed to that reader. After you have collected some facts on your customer, you should direct your attention to the topic or topics to be covered in the letter. Once again, the simplest and ultimately most effective thing to do is to take a piece of paper and write down those topics you plan to cover. Under each topic you might write some examples or a few words recalling a discussion you might have had with your customer about it. Let’s stick with the example of customer Sam Johnson. You have had a business meeting with Mr. Johnson and you want to write a follow-up letter. You already know something about his personality from the earlier research you did. You decide you want to cover the following topics in your letter: 䊳 Thanks for meeting 䊳 His idea for a lockbox —Speeds up collections —Cost-effectiveness
5 PLANNING THE LETTER 䊳 Appreciate his views on business —Loyalty to existing business relationships —Personal relationship 䊳 Arrange for another meeting The order in which you write down ideas for topics is unimportant at this point in the planning stage. The main thing is to make sure the letter covers the topics that will let customer Johnson know you are writing to him about issues that are of concern to him. Timeliness is extremely important in any letter, including the one we are using as an example. You want to get a letter to your customer while the topics being discussed are still fresh in both of your minds. As you are doing your research, determine how long discussion has been taking place about the topics to be included in your letter and what, if any, action has already been taken. A fundamental rule to remember in all of your correspondence is that timeliness is essential for effectiveness. Analyzing the Subject and Reader You’ve completed your research. You know something about the person to whom you are writing. You have a good idea what topics will be covered in the letter. The information you have gathered must now be analyzed so you can logically organize it for the best results. An outline is a good method of organizing topics and visualizing the order in which you wish to discuss them in the letter. You can order the letter chronologically, by importance of the topics discussed, or in what- ever order is most effective. Your choice is flexible, but it must be logical and you should not mix thoughts in sentences or drop them before they are completed. Continuing with the example of the follow-up letter to Sam Johnson, you might decide to outline your letter as follows: Paragraph 1. a. Thanks for meeting b. Appreciate views on business (1) Loyalty to existing business relationships (2) Importance of personal relationships Paragraph 2. a. Idea for lockbox (1) Speed up collections (2) Cost-effectiveness Paragraph 3. a. Arrange for another meeting You’ll notice that the only difference between this rough outline and the list of topics jotted down earlier is the order. The ordering of topics is an important function of the outline.
6 THE BASICS With a letter as simple as this follow-up to Sam Johnson, it is perfectly acceptable to outline the topics in your head and go directly to the rough draft of your letter. The important thing in writing an effective letter is not writing a good outline, but rather being able to write a letter that is ordered logically and is structured well enough for you to know where it is going. If you can do this in your head, fine. You may have to work out some kinks in the rough draft, but if you can save yourself some time and still write an effective letter, more power to you. As your letters become more elaborate, you may find that working with a written outline helps to re- mind you of all the facts and the best order in which to present them. When you analyze the subject matter to be covered in your letter, you should also keep in mind the research you did on your customer. Your research can serve as a brief analysis of your customer’s personality, inter- ests, and values. All of this information is important to remember as you organize the information to be included in your letter. What is important to you may not necessarily be as important to your reader. Your letter must be aimed toward your reader. With outline in hand or in your head, you can now begin to write your letter. Keep in mind that, in order to be as clear as possible, you should write simple sentences, avoiding any unnecessary information. Don’t try to combine ideas in sentences. In order to get your point across most clearly, write about one thing at a time. For example, when you write the first paragraph of your letter to customer Johnson, don’t try to thank him for the meeting and express your appreciation for his views in the same sentence. Take one thought at a time. Thank you for an interesting meeting yesterday. I appreciate the time and information you shared with me. Avoid any excess in the sentences of your letter. If you start rambling, you are bound to get off the track and lose your reader. Remember, to be effective in letter writing you must be able to grab your reader’s attention and make that reader react positively to whatever it is you are writing about. Another important thing to remember is that ideas placed at the be- ginning or end of a paragraph will often stand out most clearly to the reader. This placement of ideas is a good practice to use for emphasis in your letter writing. Knowing Your Objectives and How to Accomplish Them Set an objective for every letter you write. If you want a customer to accept credit terms you are offering, keep that goal in mind as you plan and write
7 PLANNING THE LETTER your letter. As you choose the order of each paragraph and the wording of each sentence, you should keep your goal clearly in mind. The research you did before beginning to write to your customer can help you decide how best to write the letter that will be most effective in getting your reader to react the way you would like. Your research can help make you familiar with your reader and what might have moved that reader to act in the past. The objectives of your follow-up letter to Sam Johnson are to thank him and to attract his business. You know the value he places on loyalty to existing business relationships and on a personal relationship between the professional and the customer, so you might express your understanding of these values. It also might be a good idea, knowing Mr. Johnson’s ability to make good suggestions, to react to a suggestion he might have made at your original meeting. Since your goal is to attract his business, closing your letter by telling him you will call him to set up another meeting is a good approach. Such a closing lets Mr. Johnson know you are appreciative of his ideas and anxious to meet with him again to discuss the possibility of doing business with him. Consider the following example of the com- plete text of a letter to Mr. Johnson: Thank you for an interesting meeting yesterday. I appreciate the time and information you shared with me. I can understand your sense of loyalty to existing business relationships and the importance you place on knowing and being known by the people you do business with. During our conversation you suggested that a lockbox arrangement might speed up the collection of cash available for investment. I would like to investigate this possibility and estimate the dollar benefit to your company. I will give you a call early next week to arrange lunch together as you suggested. Thanks again for your time. I look forward to doing busi- ness together. Judging from the final letter to customer Johnson, the research, analy- sis, and knowledge of objectives were handled well by the letter writer. The result of careful planning in the construction of a letter, such as in the example above, is the increased chance of a positive response from the letter’s reader.
● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 2 ● ● ● ● ● Components of an Effective Letter Planning by itself is not enough to assure you of a positive response from your reader. There are, however, essential components of any letter that can multiply the chances of its effectiveness. Before you begin to worry about the basic mechanics of a letter (structure, appearance, and grammar), think seriously about the attitude you wish to convey. Your attitude is conveyed through your choice of language, tone, and focus of attention. Each of these individual compo- nents is as important as anything else that goes into making up a successful letter. The attitude conveyed in your letter can make the difference between a letter that is tossed aside and one that is read, understood, and reacted to favorably. It is basically very simple to convey a reader-oriented attitude. Remember as you write your letters that you are addressing a specific reader. Your language, tone, and focus of attention must capture the read- er’s interest for your letter to be successful. Language—Clarity vs. Ambiguity Language is a means of communication. This may seem like a foolishly simple observation to make, but remember that for communication to be completed successfully a sender must convey his or her message so that the receiver not only receives, but also understands, the message. If language is not used clearly and accurately, the communication process cannot be successfully completed. A simple rule to remember is that the English you use in your every- 8
9 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER day business should be the same good English used by people in all walks of life. Granted, there may be terms intrinsic to your industry, but there is not a special type of ‘‘business English’’ to be learned and used when writ- ing business letters. Good English is good English. Be clear and straightforward in your letters. Write what you mean. Don’t write in circles, making your reader guess what you mean. Take the following example of a writer who wants to tell a customer about an important organization: My correspondence was initiated to inform you of the high calibre of programs and activities of an organization in which I have enjoyed being involved over the past few years. The County Business Associa- tion has served to keep me informed of, and actively involved in, the current political and economic issues affecting small businesses through its monthly breakfast meetings with interesting and impres- sive speakers, its newsletter on legislative activities in Washington, and several other programs outlined in the attached letter. There are many problems with this example. Let’s start by examining the clarity and directness of the statement. Since the writer of the letter wants to inform the reader about an important organization, why didn’t the writer come right out and do so by writing: I am writing to you about the high-calibre programs and activities offered by the County Business Association, an organization in which I have been involved for the past few years. In the writer’s version of the letter, it is not until the second sentence of the paragraph that we even learn the name of the important organization. If you are writing about a particular subject, and that subject happens to be an organization, why not get its name right up front so the reader might enjoy learning about it throughout the rest of the letter instead of being left in suspense? Instead of using many words (‘‘My correspondence was initiated to inform you of . . .’’), why not say simply, ‘‘I am writing to you about . . .’’? If you come right out and say what you mean instead of beating around the bush, not only are you going to grab your reader’s attention right away, but you also stand a stronger chance of convincing your reader that he or she should go on reading and find out more about what you have to say. Be as direct as possible in your letter writing. If you can convey your message in five words instead of ten, do so. You don’t have a great deal of space in a letter to convey your thoughts. You are not writing a novel or a treatise on the economy. The idea is to get your message across clearly and directly.
10 THE BASICS Avoid the use of pompous or inflated language in your letters. It may sound lofty to write, ‘‘My correspondence was initiated to inform you of . . . ,’’ but you are not writing to see how you can turn a catchy phrase on the page. You are writing to communicate with your reader, and if you mean, ‘‘I am writing to you about . . . ,’’ you should write what you mean. Be clear, direct, and unambiguous in your letter writing. Some- times when you think you are communicating clearly in a letter, the reader receives a different message from the one you intended. If such ambiguity is present in your letters, you can never be sure that the reader will under- stand your message. Ambiguous language is another problem with the ex- ample paragraph above. The writer wrote: The County Business Association has served to keep me informed of, and actively involved in, the current political and economic issues af- fecting small businesses through its monthly breakfast meetings with interesting and impressive speakers, its newsletter on legislative activi- ties in Washington, and several other programs outlined in the attached letter. The writer did not mean to suggest that the current political and economic issues were affecting small businesses as a result of the County Business Association’s monthly breakfast meetings. Because of careless wording, however, the sentence could be read to mean exactly that. The writer may be defensive and quip, ‘‘Well, you knew what I meant,’’ and in this case would be correct. But if we have to read something twice to make sure of its meaning, then the chances are that it was not written clearly in the first place. The writer could have written: Through monthly breakfast meetings with interesting speakers, a newsletter on legislative activities in Washington, and several other programs, the County Business Association has kept me informed of and involved in the current political and economic issues affecting smaller businesses. This version leaves little doubt in the reader’s mind about the writer’s intended meaning. The meaning of an ambiguous passage often cannot be detected as easily as in the above example. A classic example is the following: The loan officer approved the loan for David Marshall because he was obviously of superior moral fiber. From what is written above we cannot tell who is of superior moral fiber, the loan officer or Mr. Marshall. The pronoun ‘‘he’’ can refer to either the loan officer or Mr. Marshall. To avoid ambiguity, the sentence could be written:
11 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER Because David Marshall was obviously of superior moral fiber, the loan officer approved the loan. Or: Because the loan officer was of superior moral fiber, he approved the loan for David Marshall. Tone—Personality The tone or personality of a letter can help you get a positive reaction from a reader. The tone should be set at the very start of a letter and maintained throughout. The tone of any business letter should be courteous and friendly, and written as if you were talking with the reader. You don’t want to get too technical in a letter. Write in language that the reader can understand. The tone should help to show that someone with a personality—a human being—is writing the letter. If the reader believes that the writer is genuinely concerned about how the topic of the letter affects him or her, a positive response is likely. Consider Sample Letter 2.1. The letter sets a tone emphasizing effi- ciency and personal response to the reader from the beginning by address- ing both the writer’s past involvement with the customer and the customer’s needs. Credit manager Nilges comes directly to the point by announcing that his letter contains a credit proposal for his customer’s company. In the first paragraph, the writer establishes the tone of the letter: We are proud to have you as a customer. In the second paragraph, Nilges addresses his customer by his first name, maintaining a personal, courteous tone. Not only does Nilges express posi- tive feelings about his customer, he also suggests that the tone of the entire letter will remain one of positive feelings. Sample Letter 2.1 is written with a positive tone directed toward its reader, which is maintained throughout the letter. If the reader is con- vinced that he is receiving a fair proposal from an official who is commit- ted to helping the reader’s company, then chances are the letter will be successful. A positive tone increases the likelihood of a positive response.
12 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 2.1. Business letter with effective and personal tone. [date] Mr. Bertrand R. Levine Levine’s Lumber Land P.O. Box 567 Richmond, South Dakota 34345 Dear Mr. Levine: Welcome! Your account at Nilges Wood Supply has been approved. We are proud to have you as a customer. Bert, as you probably know, Nilges Wood Supply is a 50-year-old company, with 85 stores in nine Midwestern states. We supply a complete line of building products to our customers, including millwork, plumbing, electrical, paint, kitchen supplies, bath supplies, hardware, and tools. As a leader in this industry, we strive to provide the best service possible to our customers. Our goal is to be your most valuable supplier. Customer satisfaction is our number- one priority. Your approved credit line is $2,000, with billing terms of net 10. Monthly statements are mailed on the first or second working day each month. A service charge is added to past-due balances that are not paid by the twenty-fifth day of the billing month. We at Nilges Wood Supply welcome the opportunity to serve you and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship. Your branch manager is Sheila McGulicuty. Her telephone number is 890-555-8765. Yours very truly, Larry E. Nilges Vice President—Credit Sales len/jls
13 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER Focus of Attention—The ‘‘You Attitude’’ An important concept in letter writing is something called the ‘‘you atti- tude.’’ The ‘‘you attitude’’ insists that the focus of attention in your letters be directed toward the reader, the ‘‘you’’ to whom you are writing. Directing a letter toward a reader may seem very simple, but a letter writer too often incorrectly assumes that his or her interests and knowl- edge are the same as the reader’s. Some legwork needs to be done when you are deciding how to make a letter reader-oriented. This legwork may come at the planning stage of your letter, discussed in Chapter 1. What you need to know are answers to basic questions, such as: What will motivate this reader to react favorably to my letter? What interests this reader? What is this reader’s viewpoint on issues I am addressing in my letter? Sometimes you will not know the answers to these questions. If you sit down, however, and think clearly about what it is that will convince your reader that what you are writing is beneficial to him or her, you have attempted to direct the focus of attention of your letter to the reader, the ‘‘you’’ who is receiving the message. The reader of your letter must be convinced that what you are trying to get him or her to do or react to is of some personal value. If you are responding to someone about the lack of job openings at your bank, you don’t want to scare off a potential employee by sending a cold form letter. Nothing overly elaborate is necessary, of course, but a cordial negative response to a potential employee now may pay off in the future when your bank does need someone with his or her expertise. Sample Letter 2.2, acknowledging an employment application, is courteous to and considerate of the reader even though no jobs are avail- able. Ms. Kenney has written a letter that reflects a sincere interest in Mr. Krauss. By writing, ‘‘We are complimented that you would consider the Bethany Bagel Company as a place of employment,’’ she has flattered Mr. Krauss. This might cause him to react positively to Ms. Kenney’s letter. If he does react positively now, and jobs should open up at a later date for which he is qualified, then Ms. Kenney’s letter has served a good purpose by keeping a positive relationship with a prospective employee. Ms. Kenney has not gotten caught up in the need to use only the personal pronoun ‘‘you’’ in her letter. That is certainly important in focus- ing attention on a reader, but part of the whole idea of creating a personal- ity or tone in a letter is to let the reader know that a living person—an ‘‘I’’—has indeed written the letter, as Ms. Kenney did when she wrote: I would appreciate it if you would notify me if you wish to cancel your application for any reason. T E A M F L Y
14 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 2.2. Form response letter reflecting use of the ‘‘you attitude.’’ [date] Mr. Michael Krauss 69 Camran Terrace Norristown, Pennsylvania 02134 APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT Mr. Krauss, thank you for your recent employment application. We are complimented that you would consider the Bethany Bagel Company as a place of employment. Your application will be retained in our open files. Currently, we do not have any openings, but should one occur you may be contacted for an interview. I would appreciate it if you would notify me if you wish to cancel your application for any reason. JANE KENNEY—VICE PRESIDENT HUMAN RESOURCES mn If Ms. Kenney had used a passive voice here and had written, ‘‘It would be appreciated,’’ instead of ‘‘I would appreciate,’’ she would have risked taking the personality out of her letter, almost as if she were reluc- tant to admit her involvement in the process. A writer must focus the attention of a letter on the reader. If you choose the language and tone for your letter to convey an attitude of com- mitment to and interest in your reader, you will find that your letters will be more successful in grasping your readers’ attention and encouraging them to respond favorably.
15 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER Length The length of any letter affects its appearance. Professionals or customers who receive a lot of correspondence every day are not going to react favor- ably to three-page letters that could have been written in one page. Come right to the point in your letters. They should be concise and limited to one page if possible. Begin discussing the main topic or topics of your letter in the first paragraph. If you do, your reader will know what to expect as soon as he or she begins to read. Planning and clarity in your ideas can help to limit the length of your letter. Paragraphs should not be too long and difficult to follow. You should not, however, use a string of one-sentence paragraphs, which can result in a staccato-like reading. A concise paragraph with a few sentences that come right to the point should keep the length of your letters manage- able.
● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 3 ● ● ● ● ● Structure: The Parts of a Letter As you are reading this chapter, you will find it helpful to refer to Chapter 4, where various letter formats are discussed. Different formats require different placement of various parts of a letter. Although placement may vary, the content and function of these parts of a letter remain constant. You will easily be able to apply the principles learned here to the formats discussed in Chapter 4. Dateline Every letter should have a dateline. The date appears on a single line two to eight lines below the letterhead or the top margin of the page. With the exception of the simplified-letter format, three lines down from the letterhead is the usual space allotted in most letter formats. Because a letter should be well framed on a page, the placement of the dateline is flexible. The date typed on a letter should be the date on which the letter was dictated, no matter when it is to be typed or mailed, unless, of course, the letter is a standard form letter sent out time and time again. The months of the year should always be spelled out, and the day should always be indicated by a cardinal number (e.g., 1, 2, 3), never using ‘‘nd,’’ ‘‘th,’’ or ‘‘st’’ after the number as you would with ordinal numbers. The order of the dateline is month, day followed by a comma, and year. May 5, 20X4 Sometimes government and foreign correspondence will feature a reversal in the order of day and month, omitting the comma. 16
17 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER 5 May 20X4 The most standard order, however, for the elements in the dateline is month, day followed by a comma, and year. (For a good resource on inter- national correspondence conventions, see Derek Allen’s Addressing Over- seas Business Letters, which is listed in the bibliography.) The placement of the dateline varies depending upon the letter format used. In the full-block format (see Sample Letter 4.1), the dateline is typed flush with the left margin, or sometimes centered, if centering the date blends well with the letterhead. In the simplified-letter format (see Sample Letter 4.4), the dateline is typed flush with the left margin, six lines below the letterhead. The dateline in the block (see Sample Letter 4.2), semiblock (see Sam- ple Letter 4.3), official-style (see Sample Letter 4.5), and hanging-indented (see Sample Letter 4.6) formats is usually flush with the right margin. The last figure of the year should never overrun the right margin. However, in these formats the date can also be either centered under the letterhead, if this adds to the balanced look of the letter, or five spaces to the right of the center of the page. Reference Line The reference line is optional. It is a number or a series of numbers and letters referring to previous correspondence. It is usually included for the benefit of a person who must file all correspondence dealing with the same issues or topics. The number is aligned with and typed directly below the dateline. It is usually typed one to four lines beneath the date unless your company policy stipulates that it be placed elsewhere. (See Sample Letter 4.1 for an example of a reference line.) If your letter is to be more than one page long, the reference number must be carried over to all continuation sheets. On these sheets, the loca- tion of the reference line should correspond to its location on the first sheet, or as indicated by company policy. Personal or Confidential Note The inclusion of a personal or confidential note is optional. When such a notation is used, however, it should always be because the writer wants the letter to remain confidential between him or her and the reader. If such
18 THE BASICS notations are used as gimmicks to attract a reader to a letter, they will lose their effectiveness. Except with the official-style format, the personal or confidential note should be located four lines above the inside address. It does not need to be underlined or typed in all capital letters. If a writer feels it necessary to underline or capitalize, he or she should choose one or the other but not both. Personal PERSONAL Personal The personal note is rarely used in the official-style format because this format is usually reserved for personal letters. Should you decide it is necessary to include a personal note in the official-style format, it should be typed four lines above the salutation. Inside Address The inside address must be included in all letters. With the exception of the official-style format, the inside address is typed two to twelve lines beneath the dateline (or reference line or confidential note, should there be such notations). The placement of the inside address is flexible, depend- ing upon the length of the letter, but four lines is the most common. In the simplified-letter format, the inside address is typed four lines below the dateline or the last previous notation. In the official-style letter, the inside address is typed two to five lines below the last line of the signa- ture block. The inside address is always typed flush with the left margin of the letter. It should be no longer than five lines. No line should cross over the center margin of the page. If a line is too long, it should be broken in half and continued on the next line, indented two spaces. The inside address of a letter addressed to an individual should in- clude that individual’s courtesy title and full name, professional title, com- pany name, and full address. If a woman’s courtesy title is unknown, ‘‘Ms.’’ should be used. Ms. Nancy Simons Production Supervisor Bethany Bagel Company 25 Francis Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02222
19 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER If the courtesy title ‘‘Mrs.’’ is used in a business letter, a woman’s first name, not her husband’s, should be used. If a person’s name and professional title are short enough, they can be separated by a comma and placed together on the first line of the inside address. Mr. Robert Miles, Treasurer If the professional title and company name are short enough, the title and the company name (separated by a comma) can be placed together on the second line of the inside address. Ms. Rebecca Gray Editor, The Tower When a company is being addressed, the inside address should in- clude the name of the company, the individual department desired, and the full address of the company. Pauly Industries, Inc. Distribution Department 79 Grand Forks Drive Winnipeg, Virginia 23444 You should always use the company’s official name in the inside address, including any ampersands, abbreviations, or other items the company uses in its name when it is printed. When the address is too long, the person’s title is sometimes omitted. If you are addressing two or more people, you can either list the names alphabetically on separate lines or use the designation ‘‘Messrs.’’ (Mes- sieurs) for all men or ‘‘Mses.’’ for all women. When using Messrs. or Mses., you omit the addressees’ first names. Mses. Cole, Kenney, and Long or Ms. Bethany Cole Ms. Jane Kenney Ms. Marie Long Sometimes a company uses both a street address and a post office box in its letterhead. If such is the case, use the post office box number in the inside address of your letter and on the envelope. This will ensure that the post office sends your letter to the proper place. The names of numbered streets should be spelled out for streets num- bered one through twelve. Arabic numerals should be used for streets numbered 13 and above.
20 THE BASICS 186 First Street 186 - 13th Avenue Arabic numerals should be used for all house, building, or office numbers, with the exception of the number ‘‘one,’’ which always should be spelled out. One Savin Hill Avenue 210 Savin Hill Avenue When compass directions appear before numbered streets, cardinal numbers (e.g., 16, 17, 18) should be used. If compass directions don’t appear before a numbered street, ordinal numbers (e.g., 16th, 17th, 18th) should be used. 226 West 78 Street 226 - 78th Street When a compass direction appears before a street name, it should be spelled out. If the compass direction follows the street name, it should be abbreviated. 226 West 78 Street 3233 - 38th Street N.W. If a building or house number appears immediately before a numbered street, separate the two with a spaced hyphen. 226 - 78th Street A suite or apartment number following a street address should be placed on the same line as the street address, separated by a comma or two spaces. 25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 408 25 Huntington Avenue Suite 408 Although the inside address should match the address on the enve- lope, it generally looks more attractive to spell out the state name in the inside address. On the envelope, the two-letter state abbreviation should always be used. (See Appendix III for a list of two-letter state abbrevia- tions.) The zip code should be included two spaces after the state in the inside address. Attention Note If you are addressing a letter to a company but wish to direct it to the attention of a specific person, you may include an attention note. The
21 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER attention note is typed two lines below the last line of the inside address and two lines above the salutation. In the full-block, block, or simplified formats, the attention note is typed either flush with the left margin or centered. The attention note is usually not included in the official-style format since this format is gener- ally used for a personal letter and it would already be clear to whom the letter is addressed. The attention note can be included in a hanging- indented letter, but because the format is generally reserved for sales let- ters, the inclusion of an attention note would not be common. The attention note can be written with or without a colon following the word ‘‘attention.’’ The first letter of the main elements of the attention note should be capitalized. Attention: David Marshall Attention David Marshall Attention: Order Department Attention Order Department Salutation The salutation appears in all letters but those using the simplified-letter format. It is usually typed two to four lines below the inside address or the attention note (if there is one). Two spaces is most typical. In the official-style format, the salutation is typed four to six lines below the dateline, since the inside address appears at the bottom of the letter in this format. The word ‘‘Dear’’ before the person’s courtesy title and name is stan- dard. The phrase ‘‘My Dear’’ is no longer in style. The ‘‘D’’ in the word ‘‘Dear’’ should be capitalized. The word should be typed flush with the left margin. If the letter is informal, you address the person by his or her first name in the salutation. Courtesy titles such as Ms. and Mr. should be used where appropriate. Professional or academic titles (e.g., ‘‘Dr.’’) take precedence over courtesy titles for both men and women. A comma before the abbrevia- tions ‘‘Jr.’’ and ‘‘Sr.’’ depends upon the preference of the individual being addressed. The most conventional ways of addressing a group consisting of males and females are: Ladies and Gentlemen: or you can simply use the title of the person you’re addressing. For ex- ample:
22 THE BASICS Dear Editorial Director: Dear Sales Manager: Dear Customer Service Representative: The simplified-letter format contains no salutation. As a result, this format can be used if the letter writer wishes to avoid the problems of sexist language that sometimes exist in choosing the appropriate salutation for a letter. Subject Line The subject line identifies the content of a letter and is an optional addition to all but the simplified-letter formats. The simplified letter always includes a subject line typed three lines below the last line of the inside address. In the full-block, block, semiblock, or hanging-indented formats, the subject line is typed either two lines above or below the salutation. It is typed either flush with the left margin or centered, and consists of the word ‘‘subject’’ followed by a colon and the subject to be covered in the letter. The subject line can be typed in all capital letters or with each impor- tant word capitalized. Sometimes when just the important words are capi- talized, the whole subject line is underlined. When the subject line is typed in all capital letters, it is never underlined. Subject: Proposed Distribution Arrangement Subject: Proposed Distribution Arrangement SUBJECT: PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENT The subject line is generally used when only one subject is covered in a letter. Paragraphs While most word-processing programs will automatically format the vari- ous parts of a letter, it’s good to know the basic formatting rules for letter writing nonetheless. The body of a letter should begin two lines below the salutation or subject line in the full-block, block, semiblock, official-style, and hanging- indented formats. It should begin three lines below the subject line in the simplified-letter format. The letter should be single-spaced within paragraphs and double- spaced between paragraphs. If the letter is very short, double-spacing can
23 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER be used within the paragraphs, using the semiblock style of indentation to indicate new paragraphs. Paragraphs should be indented five or ten spaces in the official or semiblock styles. Five-space indentations are usually standard. In the full- block, block, and simplified-letter formats, no indentation is used. In the hanging-indented format, the first line of the paragraph is flush left and the rest of the paragraph is indented five spaces. Single-spacing within paragraphs and double-spacing between paragraphs are used in the hanging-indented format. Numbered material within letters should be indented five spaces or centered. The numbers should be placed in parentheses or followed by a period. Double-spacing should be used between each item. Punctuation is used either after each item listed in the numbered material or after none of the items. Long quotations should be blocked in the letter, setting the quotation off by indenting all of it five spaces and keeping it single-spaced. Long paragraphs should be avoided in letters. Of course, the use of brief paragraphs should not be carried to a ridiculous extreme by writing a letter full of one-sentence paragraphs that cause it to sound like a ma- chine gun because of the staccato rhythm. Be sensible about paragraph length. Say what you have to say and move on; avoid any padding or inconsequential information. The first paragraph should introduce a letter’s subject or refer to a previous correspondence or conversation to which you are responding. The following paragraphs of your letter should elaborate on the subject set up in the first paragraph. The closing paragraph should briefly summarize the topic and close on a positive note, encouraging a positive working relationship with the letter’s reader. Continuation Sheets The printed letterhead is used only for the first page of a letter. The second and following pages are typed on plain sheets of paper matching the letter- head. The heading on a continuation sheet is typed six lines below the top of the page and includes the addressee’s name, the page number, and the date. At least two lines of text, preferably more, should be carried over for a continuation sheet to be used. In the full-block format, the information in the continuation sheet heading should be typed flush with the left margin. It should include the T E A M F L Y
24 THE BASICS page number on the first line, the addressee’s courtesy title and full name on the second, and the date on the third. Page 2 Mr. David Marshall May 5, 20X5 The block, semiblock, official-style, or hanging-indented formats can use either the flush left continuation sheet heading shown above, or a con- tinuation typed on one line with the addressee’s name typed flush left, the page number centered and set off by spaced hyphens, and the date flush with the right margin. Mr. David Marshall - 2 - May 5, 20X5 Complimentary Close The complimentary close must be included in all but the simplified-letter format. It is typed two lines below the last line of the body of the letter. In the full-block format, the complimentary close should be flush with the left margin. In the block, semiblock, official-style, and hanging- indented formats, the complimentary close should start at the center of the page, directly under the dateline, about five spaces to the right of center, or at a point that would put the end of the longest line at the right margin. However, note that it should never cross over the right margin. The simpli- fied letter has no complimentary close. The first letter of the first word of the complimentary close should be capitalized. The entire complimentary close should be followed by a comma. The choice of the proper complimentary close depends upon the de- gree of formality of your letter. Among the complimentary closes to choose from are: Yours sincerely, Very sincerely yours, Sincerely yours, Sincerely, Cordially, Most sincerely, Most cordially, Cordially yours, A friendly or informal letter to a person with whom you are on a first- name basis can end with a complimentary close such as:
25 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER As ever, Best regards, Kindest regards, Best wishes, Regards, Signature Block Directly under the complimentary close, the letter writer signs his or her name. Four lines below the complimentary close, and aligned with it in the full-block, block, semiblock, official-style, and hanging-indented for- mats, the writer’s name is typed, usually the same way it is signed. In the simplified-letter format, the letter writer’s name is typed in all capital let- ters five lines below the last line of the letter, flush with the left margin. Single-spaced beneath the typed name, the letter writer’s title is typed, unless it is short enough to fit on the same line as the name after a comma. If the letterhead includes the letter writer’s business title and the busi- ness name, these are not typed again in the signature block. If a letterhead is not used and your letter is a formal one requiring the business name, type the business name in all capital letters two lines below and aligned with the complimentary close, or, in the case of the simplified-letter for- mat, two lines below the last line of the letter. Directly below the typed business name should be the signature. Four lines below the typed business name, the letter writer’s name should be typed. If the business name is long, it can be centered beneath the compli- mentary close in the block and semiblock format letters. Yours truly, BETHANY BAGEL COMPANY Louis Leigh, President If a woman wishes to use a courtesy title before her name, then Ms. should be enclosed in parentheses before the typed name. This is the only title that may precede the name in the signature block. Academic degrees (e.g., Ph.D., M.B.A.) or professional designations (e.g., C.L.U., C.P.A., C.F.P.) follow the typed name and are separated by a comma. A person signing the letter for someone else should initial just below and to the right of the signature.
26 THE BASICS Yours truly, Louis Leigh, President If an assistant signs a letter in his or her name for someone else, the assis- tant’s name and title are typed below the signature. Yours truly, Edward Cole Assistant to Mr. Leigh Identification Line The identification line is an optional addition to any letter. It consists of the initials of either the typist or the writer and the typist, and is typed flush with the left margin two lines below the signature block. The identification line can be typed in a variety of ways. The typist’s lowercase initials may be typed alone. js The writer’s initials may be typed uppercase followed by a colon or virgule followed by the typist’s lowercase initials. MN:js MN/js The writer’s initials and the typist’s initials can both be uppercase, or both lowercase. MN:JS MN/JS mn:js mn/js Any version of the identification line above can be used as long as it serves the purpose of identifying the typist of the letter. In the odd case that a letter should be dictated by one person, typed by another, and signed by a third, the identification line should include the signer’s uppercase initials followed by a colon followed by the dictator’s
27 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER uppercase initials, followed by another colon, followed by the typist’s low- ercase initials. MN:JS:ms Enclosure and Attachment Notations If an enclosure is included with the letter, one of the following should be typed two lines below the identification line or the signature block if there is no identification line: Enclosure Enc. Encl. enc. encl. If there is more than one enclosure the plural of one of the above notations is used, with the number of enclosures indicated before the notation, or after it in parentheses. Enclosures (2) 2 Enclosures encs. (2) 2 encs. Encs. (2) 2 Encs. The enclosures should be placed behind the letter in order of impor- tance. If a check is one of the enclosures, it should be placed in front of the letter. The enclosures can be numbered and listed next to the enclosure no- tation, one per line. If they are to be returned, indicate such in parentheses next to the item. encs. (2) 1. Credit analysis worksheet (please return) 2. International financing brochure If you’re sending a letter via e-mail and plan to include several attached documents, you should use the word ‘‘Attachment’’ instead of ‘‘Enclosure’’ and follow the same rules as those for enclosures. Distribution Notation If you would like the recipient of the letter to know to whom you are sending copies of the letter, a distribution notation is used. Sometimes distribution notations appear only on copies of the letter.
28 THE BASICS The distribution notation consists of the words ‘‘Copy to’’ (or ‘‘Cop- ies to’’) or the abbreviation and colon ‘‘cc:’’ followed by the recipient’s or recipients’ names. Copy to Louis Leigh cc: Louis Leigh Multiple recipients are listed alphabetically by full name or by initials, de- pending upon the letter writer’s preference or company policy. Copies to: Louis Leigh David Marshall If other information about the recipient is useful (e.g., a company’s name) it should be placed next to the person’s name in parentheses. Copies to: Louis Leigh (Bethany Bagel Company) David Marshall (The David Marshall Agency) cc: LL (Bethany Bagel Company) DM (The David Marshall Agency) If space is tight and a distribution notation is essential, it can be typed a single-space above either the enclosure notation or the identification line. Postscript A postscript is rarely used in a business letter unless it is in a sales letter to emphasize a point or to make a special offer. It is typed flush with the left margin two to four lines below the last notation in a letter. The writer should initial the postscript. The abbreviation ‘‘P.S.’’ should not be used before a postscript.
● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 4 ● ● ● ● ● Appearance of the Letter A friend of mine is the president of a public relations company he founded in Boston. His customers include small businesses, restaurants, and finan- cial services companies throughout New England. He is a superb spokes- man for his company and is adept at convincing companies and executives that his organization can serve them better than other public relations firms can. One reason for my friend’s success is the contacts he’s built over the several years he’s worked as a public relations professional. Another is the good press he has gotten his clients. But another important reason for his success is his appearance. He is well groomed and dresses well—nothing ostentatious, but when he arrives for a business meeting, the customer can tell that he or she is dealing with a public relations professional who at least appears to be very professional. In letter writing too, appearance is very important. The message you are sending is obviously the most important aspect of your letter. However, if the reader opens an envelope and finds a note scrawled across a piece of notebook paper, the most important of messages is not going to get through to the reader. There are certain conventions used in letter writing that are fairly well established, yet they are flexible enough to allow you to communicate ex- actly what you want to your reader. If you take into consideration the appearance of your letter—the stationery, format, length, and envelope— your reader will be drawn to it. Once your reader gives your letter his or her attention, your message is sure to get through. Stationery Letterhead design varies from business to business, but it usually consists of at least the following items: 29
30 THE BASICS 䊳 Business logo 䊳 Business full, legal name 䊳 Full street address and/or post office box number 䊳 City, state, and zip code 䊳 Telephone number 䊳 Fax number 䊳 E-mail address 䊳 Web site address There are important considerations to make when choosing a letter- head design. The information included should be uncluttered and read- able. The design should be simple enough for the reader to find the information he or she needs without being distracted from reading the rest of the letter. Business stationery is usually white or some other conservative color. The standard size of the stationery is 81 /2 by 11 inches. Margins on the typed letter should be consistent. The margins on the top and the bottom of the letter should be the same. The side margins should also be equal to one another. The size of the margins depends upon the length of the letter to be written. Long letters typically have smaller margins than short letters. Margins of one inch for long letters and two inches for short letters is a good rule of thumb to follow. If a letter is very short, containing a few short sentences or a couple of short paragraphs, then a half-sheet of stationery can be used. The half- sheet measures 81/2 by 51/2 inches. It is usually printed as a miniature ver- sion of the letterhead, with the same letterhead design as the normal-size stationery. The full-block, block, or semiblock letter formats discussed in this chapter can be used on the half-sheet. The techniques and rules governing letter writing apply to letters written on a half-sheet. Some professionals will use an executive letterhead. In addition to the basic elements contained in a letterhead, the executive letterhead features the executive’s printed name and title beneath the letterhead. With all types of letters, the letterhead is always used only as the first sheet of a letter. If the typed letter is more than one page, a plain sheet of paper matching the letterhead should be used for subsequent pages. (See the section on continuation sheets in Chapter 3 for more information.) One other element to keep in mind: Word-processing programs en- able a writer to choose among a myriad of different type fonts. If your company does not have a standard font it uses in all correspondence, then limit yourself in how many different fonts you use with one letter. One font should do the trick. The more readable the font, the better. Consider
31 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER a font that is easy to read such as Times, Times New Roman, Courier, Arial, or Helvetica. Various Formats for Letter Writing The format used for a letter is typically determined by the person writing the letter. Sometimes a company will have a house style for a format in which letters must be written, but typically the writer must choose the format. The full-block, block, semiblock, and simplified-letter formats pre- sented here can all be used effectively for writing any business letter. Some letter writers find that the simplified letter is not traditional enough for their taste; others find it a perfect solution to the problem of sexist lan- guage in letter salutations. Be that as it may, these four formats are the standard ones used for most business letters written today. The hanging-indented and official-style formats discussed here are not used for everyday business letters. Their use indicates that a particular type of letter is being written. A discussion of the appropriate use of these formats is included in this chapter. Chapter 3 discusses the placement and function of the parts of each of the letter formats discussed in this chapter. You might find it useful to look back at Chapter 3 for reference when you are studying the various letter formats in this chapter. Full Block The full-block format, sometimes called ‘‘complete block’’ or simply ‘‘block,’’ is shown in Sample Letter 4.1. In this format, all the lines of the letter, from the dateline to the last notation, are flush with the left margin. Paragraphs are not indented but rather begin flush with the left mar- gin. Single-spacing is used within the paragraphs, and double-spacing be- tween. The dateline is most often typed three lines below the letterhead. De- pending upon the length of the letter, however, it may be typed anywhere from two to six lines below the letterhead. If there is a reference line, it should be typed directly below the dateline. The inside address is most often typed four lines below the dateline (or reference line if there is one) but may be typed anywhere from two to twelve lines below the dateline depending upon the length of the letter. If there is an attention line it should be typed two lines below the address and two lines above the salutation.
32 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 4.1. Example of full-block format letter. [date] A-354-29 Mr. Alexander Campbell Bethany Bagel Company 14 Pendleton Road Scots, Pennsylvania 00012 Dear Mr. Campbell: The records you requested are enclosed. Due to the technical difficulties we have in processing microfilm, I am unable to provide better quality copies. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If I can be of any further assistance, please call me or another customer service representative on our toll-free number 1-800-555-1212. Sincerely, Ambrose Kemper Customer Service Representative jls Enclosure The salutation should be typed two lines below the inside address or attention line if there is one. If there is a subject line, it is typed two lines above or below the salutation. The body of the letter begins two lines below the salutation or subject line if there is one. Two lines below the last line of the letter, the complimentary close is typed. The signature block is typed four lines below the complimentary close. An identification line is typed two lines below the signature block. All other notations (e.g., enclosure, distribution) are typed two lines below the identification line.
33 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER Block The block format, sometimes called ‘‘modified block,’’ is shown in Sample Letter 4.2. This format differs from the full-block in the position of the dateline (and reference line if there is one) and the complimentary close and signature block. The dateline is usually aligned with the right margin, although some- times it is centered in relation to the printed letterhead if this presents a more balanced look. In the samples in this book, the dateline is flush with the right margin. The complimentary close and signature block can correctly be placed in any of several locations (see Chapter 3). In the samples in this book, they appear just to the right of center, but you should realize that other positions may also be used. Paragraphs are not indented. The spacing of various parts of the block-format letter is the same as for the full-block format. SAMPLE LETTER 4.2. Example of block format. [date] Mr. Jacob L. Martin Investigative Management 25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 408 Boonton, New Jersey 07005 Subject: Membership of Bill Senyl Dear Mr. Martin: As we feared, Mr. Senyl is no longer a member of the Investment Managers Society of America. He was a member for just one year from May 20X6 through May 20X7, at which point he allowed his membership to lapse. In his application, he indicated licenses and registrations in accounting, life insurance, law, real estate, and securities. He also indicated he was a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He indicated his highest level of education was a Ph.D., not a Masters degree, as you mention he suggested to you. He also stated that he had memberships in the American Bar Association, American Society of Certified Life Underwriters, and the Million Dollar Round Table. T E A M F L Y
34 THE BASICS Page 2 Mr. Jacob L. Martin [date] We certainly appreciate your interest and assistance. Your information will be lodged with the membership department of the Investment Managers Society of America. Sincerely, Lisa Antolini General Counsel la/js The block format is widely used because of the balanced look it gives to a letter. Since everything is flush with the left margin in the full-block format, it almost appears as if the letter might tip over to the left. In the block format, since the date, complimentary close, and signature block are toward the right, the letter is balanced in place and not tipped to either side. Semiblock The semiblock format is shown in Sample Letter 4.3. The only difference between this and the block format is that the paragraphs in the semiblock format are indented. Simplified Letter The simplified-letter format departs significantly from the formats de- scribed thus far; an example appears in Sample Letter 4.4.
35 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER SAMPLE LETTER 4.3. Example of semiblock format letter. [date] Mr. Roger Perkins 95 Belltoll Road Ketchum, Idaho 00005 Dear Mr. Perkins: Thank you for sending your work samples and discussing your views about the editor’s position we have open. I’ve reviewed your work and reflected at length on our last conversation, particularly your hesitancy to take on an assignment to demonstrate your editorial approach to analytical topics. Since we talked I’ve interviewed several other candidates with substantial editorial credentials and have become convinced that proven analytical skills or technical knowledge of the investments area are important prerequisites for the job. My conclusion is that your background is not appropriate for the position and, frankly, that you would not enjoy the job during a necessary period of training. If, however, you are interested in establishing a freelance relationship with our publication, I’d be happy to consider using you. Thanks again, Roger, for your interest in the job. Cordially, Gloria Hoagland Publisher GH/ec
36 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 4.4. Example of simplified-letter format. [date] Professor Alan Campbell Lazarus College 43 Lorraine Terrace Plattsburgh, New York 02134 OPINION LETTERS ON MARKETING TEXTBOOK Enclosed is a group of opinion letters for your text, Marketing: A New Approach. We hope these letters will be of considerable interest to you and help you in making revisions to the second edition of the book. As more of these letters come in, I will send groups of them along to you so that you may read the comments your colleagues have made about your book. OTTO SCOTT—EDITOR OS/js Enclosures The most obvious variation in the simplified-letter format is its lack of salutation and complimentary close. It is a good way to address an unknown audience that may consist of both men and women or only one of these two groups. In a simplified letter, all lines are flush with the left margin, including the dateline, reference line (if there is one), and the signature block. The dateline is typed six lines below the letterhead. The inside address is typed four lines below the dateline or reference line. A subject line always is included in the simplified-letter format. It is
37 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER typed in all capital letters, three lines below the inside address and three lines above the body of the letter. Paragraphs are not indented in the simplified-letter format. Five lines below the body of the letter, the signature block is typed in all capital letters. The writer’s signature is signed above the signature block. If there is an enclosure notation it is typed a single space below the identification line. Any other notations are typed two lines below the enclosure notation. If a continuation page is needed, the heading should be the same as used with the full-block format. The addressee’s name should appear six lines from the top of the plain sheet, flush with the left margin. The page number should be typed directly below the name, and the date directly below the page number. Official Style The official-style format is used mostly for personal correspondence and is often written by executives on their personalized business stationery. This format is the same as the semiblock format with the exception of the place- ment of the inside address, which is typed two to five lines below the signature block. See Sample Letter 4.5 for an example of an official-style letter. If there is an identification line in the official-style format, it is typed two lines below the inside address. Any enclosure notations are typed two lines below the identification line. SAMPLE LETTER 4.5. Example of an official-style format letter. [date] Dear Ambrose: Your article that appears in December’s Guam City Magazine made good reading. It was informative and well written for the layman like me. On behalf of Alan, Mike, and Gus, whom you cited in the article, as well as the whole crew here at Natick Nautical, I want to thank you for including us in the article. The exposure is great, especially in such a well written and widely read piece.
38 THE BASICS Page 2 Ambrose [date] Thank you again. Regards, Paul Pendelton Mr. Ambrose Kemper Guam City Magazine One Symphony Place Guam City, Arizona 72177 PP:js Hanging Indented The use of the hanging-indented letter format is reserved for sales or ad- vertising letters. This unorthodox format, shown in Sample Letter 4.6, is believed to attract the attention of the reader. The first line of each paragraph of the hanging-indented letter is flush with the left margin. The remaining lines of that paragraph are indented five spaces. Single-spacing is used within paragraphs and double-spacing between. The dateline is flush with the right margin and typed three lines below the letterhead. The inside address and salutation are flush with the left margin and blocked exactly as in the block format discussed earlier in this chapter. The complimentary close, signature block, and all subsequent notations are positioned similarly to the way they are placed in the semi- block letter format. The main difference between the hanging-indented format and the semiblock format is the difference in the indentation of paragraphs. If there is a postscript in a hanging-indented letter, it is also typed with the first line flush left and the remaining lines indented five spaces.
39 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER SAMPLE LETTER 4.6. Example of a hanging-indented format letter. [date] Ms. Jane Kenney 1978 Malden Place Summit, New Jersey 01005 Dear Ms. Kenney: For a very limited time—and only to a select, qualified group—I’m authorized to send the next issue of The Armchair Reader’s Review absolutely free. Reply by March 1, 20X5, and you’ll receive—without risk or obligation—the one publication dedicated to giving the inside knowledge on the latest in economic developments. Mail the enclosed postage-paid reservation card by March 1, 20X5, and the next issue of The Armchair Reader’s Review is yours free. At the same time, we’ll reserve in your name a full year’s subscription at a special introductory rate. When you receive your free issue, read it and then decide. If you can do without The Armchair Reader’s Review, write ‘‘cancel’’ on the bill when it comes. You’ll owe nothing. Your first issue will be your last. Or you can pay just $11.95 for 11 more issues—saving $24.05 off the newsstand price—and enjoy the insight that each monthly issue of The Armchair Reader’s Review delivers. Remember that this is a special offer good for a limited time only. Please reply today. Cordially, Alan Sitton Publisher AS:JS Enclosure
40 THE BASICS Envelopes The appearance of the envelope adds to the overall professional appearance of your letter. The address should be typed in the approximate horizontal and vertical center of the business envelope. With the exception of using the two-letter abbreviation for the state, the address on the envelope should appear exactly as in the inside address of the letter (see Chapter 3). The use of the two-letter state abbreviation will expedite postal service. (See Appendix III for a list of two-letter state abbreviations.) The addressee’s name should be typed on the first line. If there is space, the addressee’s title can be typed next to the name on the first line, separated by a comma. On the second line, a single-space down, the per- son’s title is typed if it did not fit on the first line. If the company’s name will also fit on the second line, type it next to the title, separated by a comma. A single-space below, the company name is typed if it didn’t fit on the second line. The complete street address or post office box number, whichever is used in the inside address, is typed on the next line. The city followed by a comma, the two-letter state abbreviation, followed by two spaces, and the zip code are typed as the last line of the address. If you are addressing a company rather than an individual, type the company’s name on the first line and the department name or attention line on the second line. The sender’s full name and address should appear in the upper-left corner of the letter. Usually the business name will be imprinted on the envelope. The stamp is placed in the upper-right corner of the envelope. Any special mailing notations should be typed in all capital letters directly below where the stamp is to go. On-arrival notations should be typed in all capital letters about nine lines below the top left of the envelope, aligned with the end of the return address. Italics and script writing should not be used because they might confuse the postal service. Memorandums More often than not, memorandums are written as interoffice correspon- dence. Different businesses use different formats for their memos. Busi- nesses often have preprinted memo forms that resemble the company’s stationery. Usually these forms will feature the following information at the top:
41 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: In many word-processing software packages, a memo feature allows the user to call up one of many templates, which includes the above headings. When a business does not have preprinted memo forms available, a memo writer can use the above format on a blank piece of stationery. The memo’s message is begun two to four spaces below the subject line of the memo heading. When you consider writing a memo, remember: 1. Write a memo only when it is necessary. Professionals are already drowning in a sea of paper. Don’t compound the problem by add- ing unnecessary missives to the flood. If you don’t really need to write the memo, don’t. 2. Keep your memos as brief as possible. The memo is the ideal place for the professional to show how competent a writer he or she is. The memo must be clear, concise, and to the point. The reader must be able to grasp the message quickly and clearly. Memos can run on to more than one page, but only when absolutely necessary. MEMORANDUM 4.1. Memo to employees about new benefits. TO: Employees Participating in Disability Insurance Plan FROM: Etsuko S. Yukki, Benefits Administrator DATE: August 13, 20X4 SUBJECT: Long-Term Disability Plan Your long-term disability insurance carrier until now has been Security of America. The cost to you for this coverage has been $.30 per $100. As of August 1, we are pleased to announce that we have changed long-term disability carriers. As a result, your costs have been reduced by 25%. The new carrier on the long-term disability plan is Sambuki General Life Insurance Ltd. Plan benefits through Sambuki General will remain the same, but rates have been reduced retroactive to August 1. As a result, you will see a rate reduction in your August paycheck. Your cost will be reduced to $.22 per $100 in monthly earnings. The company will continue to pay 50% of the cost of your plan. Please call me in the New York office if you have any questions.
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
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Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
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Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule
Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule

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Ama Handbook Business Letter Emodule

  • 3. The AMA Handbook of Business Letters T H I R D E D I T I O N J E F F R E Y L . S E G L I N W I T H E D W A R D C O L E M A N American Management Association New York • Atlanta • Brussels • Buenos Aires • Chicago • London • Mexico City San Francisco • Shanghai • Tokyo • Toronto • Washington, D.C.
  • 4. Special discounts on bulk quantities of AMACOM books are available to corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. For details, contact Special Sales Department, AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Tel.: 212-903-8316 Fax: 212-903-8083 Web site: www.amacombooks.org This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Seglin, Jeffrey L., 1956– The AMA handbook of business letters / Jeffrey L. Seglin with Edward Coleman.—3rd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. @Bookz ISBN 0-8144-0665-3 1. Commercial correspondence—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Letter writing— Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Coleman, Edward, 1968– II. Amacom. III. Title. HF5726 .S42 2002 651.7⬘5—dc21 2001053995 娀 2002 Jeffrey L. Seglin All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Although this publication is subject to copyright, permission is granted free of charge to photocopy the pages that are required by each user and to print and use pages from the enclosed CD. Only the original purchaser may make photocopies and print and use pages. Under no circumstances is it permitted to sell or distribute on a commercial basis material reproduced from this publication. Except as provided above, this publication may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of AMACOM, a division of American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Printing number 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
  • 8. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Contents Preface to the Third Edition xiii Preface to the Second Edition xv Preface to the First Edition xvii PART I. The Basics 1 Approaching This Book 1 Approach of This Book 2 CHAPTER 1. Planning the Letter 3 Researching the Facts 4 Analyzing the Subject and Reader 5 Knowing Your Objectives and How to Accomplish Them 6 CHAPTER 2. Components of an Effective Letter 8 Language—Clarity vs. Ambiguity 8 Tone—Personality 11 Focus of Attention—The ‘‘You Attitude’’ 13 Length 15 CHAPTER 3. Structure: The Parts of a Letter 16 Dateline 16 Reference Line 17 Personal or Confidential Note 17 Inside Address 18 Attention Note 20 Salutation 21 Subject Line 22 Paragraphs 22 Continuation Sheets 23 Complimentary Close 24 Signature Block 25 vii
  • 9. viii CONTENTS Identification Line 26 Enclosure and Attachment Notations 27 Distribution Notation 27 Postscript 28 CHAPTER 4. Appearance of the Letter 29 Stationery 29 Various Formats for Letter Writing 31 Full Block 31 Block 33 Semiblock 34 Simplified Letter 34 Official Style 37 Hanging Indented 38 Envelopes 40 Memorandums 40 Faxes 42 E-Mail 42 Notes 45 CHAPTER 5. Grammar 46 Grammar 46 Wrong Pronouns 47 Pronouns and Antecedents 49 Subject and Verb Agreement 49 Dangling Modifiers 51 Split Infinitives 52 Parallel Structure 52 Punctuation 53 Capitalization 53 Spelling 53 Jargon 53 Clichés 54 Wordiness 54 CHAPTER 6. Word Processing 56 Word-Processing Software 56 Using Model Letters 57 PART II. The Letters 61 CHAPTER 7. Sales, Marketing, and Public Relations Letters 63 Letters of Introduction (Sample Letters 7.1–7.7) 63 Sales Letters (Sample Letters 7.8–7.22) 72 Letter Accompanying Renewal Notice (Sample Letter 7.23) 91 Letter Announcing a Special Presentation (Sample Letter 7.24) 92 Catalog Letters (Sample Letters 7.25–7.27) 93 Sales Inquiry Response (Sample Letter 7.28) 97 Appointment Requests (Sample Letters 7.29–7.32) 98
  • 10. ix CONTENTS Letters of Interest (Sample Letters 7.33–7.34) 101 Letter to Difficult-to-See Prospect (Sample Letter 7.35) 104 Letter to Find Decision Maker (Sample Letter 7.36) 105 Letters Confirming Proposals (Sample Letters 7.37–7.39) 106 Follow-Up Letters (Sample Letters 7.40–7.46) 109 Letter to Renew Contact (Sample Letter 7.47) 117 Letter Welcoming New Client (Sample Letter 7.48) 118 Letter Asking for Referral (Sample Letter 7.49) 119 Letter Promoting Special Sale (Sample Letter 7.50) 121 Letter to Wish Existing Customer Holiday Greetings (Sample Letter 7.51) 122 Letter to Acknowledge Anniversary of a Sales Relationship (Sample Letter 7.52) 122 Public Relations Letters (Sample Letters 7.53–7.60) 123 CHAPTER 8. Customer Service Letters 134 Complaint Resolution Letters (Sample Letters 8.1–8.9) 134 Apology Letters (Sample Letters 8.10–8.19) 145 Letter Acknowledging Order (Sample Letter 8.20) 154 Letter to Customer Who Mistakenly Returned Merchandise (Sample Letter 8.21) 155 Letters Correcting Wrong Shipment (Sample Letters 8.22–8.23) 156 Product or Service Information Letters (Sample Letters 8.24–8.29) 158 Thank-You Letters to Customers (Sample Letters 8.30–8.34) 163 Letter to Lapsed Customer (Sample Letter 8.35) 168 Pricing Letters (Sample Letters 8.36–8.38) 169 Change-in-Location Letter (Sample Letter 8.39) 172 Project Status Letters (Sample Letters 8.40–8.43) 174 Product-Handling Letter (Sample Letter 8.44) 178 Letter Explaining Regulatory Impact on Client (Sample Letter 8.45) 179 Subscription Response Letters (Sample Letters 8.46–8.50) 181 Letters to Stockholders (Sample Letters 8.51–8.63) 186 CHAPTER 9. Credit and Collection Letters 201 Letter Requesting Commercial Credit (Sample Letter 9.1) 201 Credit Information Letters (Sample Letters 9.2–9.3) 202 Letters Announcing Credit Policy Change (Sample Letters 9.4–9.5) 204 Returned-Check Letters (Sample Letters 9.6–9.8) 207 Credit Bureau Complaint (Sample Letter 9.9) 210 Credit Reference Letters (Sample Letters 9.10–9.12) 211 Letter Denying Credit (Sample Letter 9.13) 214 Letters Granting Credit (Sample Letters 9.14–9.16) 215 Letter Raising Credit Limit (Sample Letter 9.17) 219 Letter Clearing Disputed Items (Sample Letter 9.18) 219 Stop-Payment Letter (Sample Letter 9.19) 220 Collection Letters (Sample Letters 9.20–9.30) 221 Credit-Suspension Letter (Sample Letter 9.31) 231 Letter Reinstating Credit (Sample Letter 9.32) 232 Letters Accepting Partial Payment (Sample Letters 9.33–9.35) 233 Letter Acknowledging Payment (Sample Letter 9.36) 236
  • 11. x CONTENTS Letter About Deposit Due (Sample Letter 9.37) 236 Letter to Lender to Renegotiate Payment Terms (Sample Letter 9.38) 237 Letter from Customer About Billing Error (Sample Letter 9.39) 239 CHAPTER 10. Letters to Vendors and Suppliers 240 Letter Placing Order (Sample Letter 10.1) 240 Letter Requesting Free Materials (Sample Letter 10.2) 241 Letter Requesting Distributor’s Name (Sample Letter 10.3) 242 Letter Seeking Information About Product (Sample Letter 10.4) 243 Letter Asking About Quantity Discounts (Sample Letter 10.5) 244 Letters Complimenting Vendors (Sample Letters 10.6–10.7) 245 Letters Clearing Up Billing Errors (Sample Letters 10.8–10.9) 248 Letters Complaining to Vendors (Sample Letters 10.10–10.11) 250 Letter Cancelling Contract (Sample Letter 10.12) 252 Letter Firing Vendor Because of Economic Conditions (Sample Letter 10.13) 253 CHAPTER 11. Personnel Letters 255 Job Interview Request Letters (Sample Letters 11.1–11.5) 255 Letters Accompanying Résumés (Sample Letters 11.6–11.9) 261 Letter Withdrawing Candidacy for a Position (Sample Letter 11.10) 266 Letters Responding to Job Applications (Sample Letters 11.11–11.25) 267 Letters Thanking People Who Recommended Applicants (Sample Letters 11.26–11.27) 282 Job-Offer Letters (Sample Letters 11.28–11.34) 284 Letters Accepting or Rejecting Job Offers (11.35–11.37) 292 Letter Welcoming New Employee (Sample Letter 11.38) 294 Recommendation Letters (Sample Letters 11.39–11.43) 295 Commendation Letters (Sample Letters 11.44–11.51) 300 Review Letter (Sample Letter 11.52) 308 Letters About Job Promotions (Sample Letters 11.53–11.54) 310 New-Employee Announcement Letter (Sample Letter 11.55) 312 Letters Requesting and Refusing Raises (Sample Letters 11.56–11.58) 313 Letter Introducing Outside Person (Sample Letter 11.59) 317 No-Longer-with-Us Letters (Sample Letters 11.60–11.61) 318 Letter of Resignation (Sample Letter 11.62) 320 Retirement Letters (Sample Letters 11.63–11.64) 321 Letter Granting Leave of Absence (Sample Letter 11.65) 323 Letter Demoting Employee Because of Economic Conditions (Sample Letter 11.66) 324 Reprimand (Sample Letter 11.67) 325 Termination Letters (Sample Letters 11.68–11.72) 326 Letter Acknowledging Anniversary Date (Sample Letter 11.73) 333 Letter Announcing Staff Changes (Sample Letter 11.74) 334 Motivation Letter to Employees (Sample Letter 11.75) 335 Farewell Letter to Employee (Sample Letter 11.76) 337 CHAPTER 12. Transmittal Letters 339 Letters Transmitting Payment (Sample Letters 12.1–12.6) 339 Letter Transmitting Contracts (Sample Letter 12.7) 344 T E A M F L Y
  • 12. xi CONTENTS Letters Transmitting Requested Materials (Sample Letters 12.8–12.9) 345 Letter Transmitting Manuscript (Sample Letter 12.10) 347 Letter Transmitting Manuscript to Reviewer (Sample Letter 12.11) 348 Letter Transmitting Final Invoice (Sample Letter 12.12) 349 CHAPTER 13. Confirmation Letters 351 Letter Confirming Supplier’s Oral Instructions (Sample Letter 13.1) 351 Letter Confirming Prices and Quantity Discounts (Sample Letter 13.2) 352 Letter Confirming Arrangements for Speakers (Sample Letter 13.3) 353 Letter Confirming Appointment (Sample Letter 13.4) 354 Letter Confirming Travel Plans (Sample Letter 13.5) 355 Letter Confirming Telephone Conversation (Sample Letter 13.6) 356 Letter Confirming Telegram (Sample Letter 13.7) 357 Letters Confirming Receipt of Materials (Sample Letters 13.8–13.9) 358 Letter Confirming Assignment (Sample Letter 13.10) 360 CHAPTER 14. Request Letters 362 Letter Requesting Information About Accommodations (Sample Letter 14.1) 362 Letter Requesting Information About Seminars (Sample Letter 14.2) 363 Letter Requesting Assistance (Sample Letter 14.3) 364 Letters Requesting Return of Material (Sample Letters 14.4–14.6) 366 Letter Requesting Material from Speaker (Sample Letter 14.7) 368 Letter Requesting Correction on Charge Account (Sample Letter 14.8) 369 Letter Requesting Reprint of Article (Sample Letter 14.9) 370 Letter Requesting Subscription Cancellation (Sample Letter 14.10) 371 Letter Requesting Catalog (Sample Letter 14.11) 372 Letter Requesting Free Products (Sample Letter 14.12) 373 Letter Requesting Information About a New Product (Sample Letter 14.13) 374 Letter Requesting Pricing Information (Sample Letter 14.14) 375 CHAPTER 15. Replies 377 Letter Acknowledging Order (Sample Letter 15.1) 377 Letter Acknowledging Registration for Conference (Sample Letter 15.2) 378 Remittance Letter (Sample Letter 15.3) 379 Response to Request for Clarification (Sample Letter 15.4) 380 Response to Request for Information About Member of Organization (Sample Letter 15.5) 381 Letter Responding to Request for Information from a Government Agency (Sample Letter 15.6) 383 Letters Responding to Requests for Materials (Sample Letters 15.7–15.9) 384 Letter Replying to a Sales Letter (Sample Letter 15.10) 387 Letter Responding to a Request for a Catalog (Sample Letter 15.11) 388 Letter Responding to a Request for Free Products (Sample Letter 15.12) 389 Letter Responding to Request for Information About a New Product (Sample Letter 15.13) 390 Letters Responding to Requests to Be a Speaker (Sample Letters 15.14–15.15) 391
  • 13. xii CONTENTS CHAPTER 16. Permissions Letters 393 Letters Seeking Permission to Reprint (Sample Letters 16.1–16.4) 393 Letters Indicating More Information Needed for Permission (Sample Letters 16.5–16.6) 397 Letters Granting Permission (Sample Letters 16.7–16.8) 399 Letters Denying Permission (Sample Letters 16.9–16.10) 401 Cover Letter for Contract (Sample Letter 16.11) 403 Letter Requesting Reversion of Rights (Sample Letter 16.12) 404 CHAPTER 17. Social, Personal, and Miscellaneous Letters 406 Thank-You Letters (Sample Letters 17.1–17.19) 406 Invitations (Sample Letters 17.20–17.25) 423 Responses to Invitations (Sample Letters 17.26–17.34) 429 Letter Expressing Interest in Speaking (Sample Letter 17.35) 437 Letter Reserving Meeting Facility (Sample Letter 17.36) 438 Letter Requesting Membership in a Club (Sample Letter 17.37) 439 Follow-Up Letter to Speech Attendees (Sample Letter 17.38) 441 Letter Expressing Compliments on an Article (Sample Letter 17.39) 442 Birthday Greetings Letter (Sample Letter 17.40) 443 Birth Congratulations Letter (Sample Letter 17.41) 443 Public Service and Fund-Raising Letters (Sample Letters 17.42–17.49) 444 Congratulations-on-New-Position Letters (Sample Letters 17.50–17.51) 455 Letters to Sick Employees, Acquaintances (Sample Letters 17.52–17.54) 457 Condolence Letter (Sample Letter 17.55) 459 Letter Congratulating Someone on a Business Opening (Sample Letter 17.56) 460 Letter Announcing Retirement (Sample Letter 17.57) 461 PART III. Appendixes 463 Appendix I. Words to Watch 465 Appendix II. Punctuation 471 Appendix III. Abbreviations 477 Appendix IV. Grammar Hotline Directory 481 Bibliography 499 Index 503
  • 14. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Preface to the Third Edition The thirteen years that have passed since the publication of the first edition of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters have witnessed the takeoff of the Internet and its use as a vehicle through which to communicate. Billions of e-mail messages pass through American businesses every day. The immediacy with which we now can and expect to communicate with col- leagues, prospective colleagues, and strangers has had a tremendous im- pact on the volume of correspondence we send and receive. We thought it was a good time to update this book to reflect some of the changes in the business environment since the second edition appeared in 1996. The fundamentals of good letter writing remained unchanged since the first edition appeared in 1989. But the choices we have in how we deliver our letters and where we can find information that can be helpful in writing correspondence have grown. We’ve updated this edition with a wider variety of model letters; a careful editing and updating of the entire book to better reflect today’s workplace; and the most current edition of the Grammar Hotline Directory with e-mail and Web site addresses, where you can go to get real-time help with grammar, usage, and writing ques- tions. Ellen Kadin, our editor at AMACOM, has been a terrific advocate for the new edition since the beginning. The advice and detailed punch list given us by Christina McLaughlin, a development editor at AMACOM, was immensely helpful in creating a new edition that was as useful and hands-on as possible for readers, and one that includes more than 365 model letters. Erika Spelman, an associate editor at AMACOM, shep- herded the book through the production process. Tom Williams and Pat Richardson, both of the Writing Center at Tidewater Community College, helped us incorporate the most current edition of the Grammar Hotline xiii
  • 15. xiv PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION Directory. Evan Marshall, our agent, helped get the new edition done. We’re also thankful for the contributions of Nancy Seglin, David White- myer, Bethany Whitemyer, Lisa Freiman, and Loren Gary to the project. Edward Coleman, who collaborated on this new edition, came to it with a fresh eye and a critical sense of what worked, what needed fixing, and what needed to be added. The improvements in this new edition are largely due to his efforts. We’re also grateful to readers of previous editions who have sent us letters or e-mails with questions, suggestions, or ideas for this new edition. In an effort to continue to make future editions of the book as useful as possible, we’d like to ask your help once again. If you have ideas for new features or types of letters you’d like to see included in future editions, or if you have observations or questions, send them to: Jeffrey L. Seglin, Au- thor, The AMA Handbook of Business Letters, c/o AMACOM, 1601 Broad- way, New York, NY 10019. Or send e-mail to: jseglin@post.harvard.edu. Jeffrey L. Seglin Boston, Massachusetts September 2001
  • 16. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Preface to the Second Edition It’s remarkable how quickly the years have passed since the publication of the first edition of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters. While much has changed during that time, the basic fundamentals of letter writing have remained the same. Still, we felt it was time that we updated the book with a much wider selection of model letters, updates to reflect today’s work setting, the most current Grammar Hotline Directory, and new information that acknowledges how prevalent a role technology now plays in our daily lives. Mary Glenn, Mike Sivilli, and Robert Griffin at AMACOM contrib- uted greatly to this new edition of the book, which contains more than 320 model letters, as well as new material on writing e-mail and faxes. I’d like to make this book as useful as possible for you. Perhaps the best way to do that is to enlist your help. If you have ideas for new features or types of letters you’d like to see included in future editions, or if you have observations you’d like to make and questions you’d like answered, send them to: Jeffrey L. Seglin, c/o AMACOM, 1601 Broadway, New York, New York 10019. Or e-mail me at: jls@world.std.com. Jeffrey L. Seglin Boston, Massachusetts October 1995 xv
  • 17. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Preface to the First Edition Several years ago, I was asked by a financial publisher to write a book on letter writing for bankers. I was puzzled about the need for such a book. Surely bankers who had risen to any level of responsibility knew how to write. Why did they need a book to show them the way? I agreed to write the book. Dozens of generous bankers offered to open their files to me. I was shocked. Not only was there a fundamental lack of basic letter-writing skills, there also was a dearth of bankers who knew basic writing skills. The bankers who helped me with that book kept telling me how unskilled the writers were with whom they dealt. But I was surprised to find the volume of correspondence that was going out with grammatical mistakes, usage problems, unclear statements, and nonstan- dard letter formatting. Several thousand copies and a second edition later, I am more con- vinced than ever that bankers are clamoring for a book that shows them how to write better letters. But I’ve also become convinced that the need doesn’t stop with bankers. Professionals in all walks of the business world are in need of a book that can help them hone their letter-writing skills. The AMA Handbook of Business Letters is designed to answer that need. It will arm professionals with both the skills needed to be good letter writers and more than 270 model letters on which to base their own correspondence. The AMA Hand- book of Business Letters will not just show you how to write better letters; it will show you how to write better. Sections on grammar, usage, and word processing in the first part of the book complement the sections on basic letter-writing skills. The second part of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters is the heart of the book. Here, more than 270 model letters have been collected. The vast majority xvii
  • 18. xviii PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION of them are based on actual letters that were used in business. They were chosen to represent the broad spectrum of the type of letters professionals will most commonly have to write. The names of the people, companies, and products have all been disguised. If a name resembles an actual name, it is purely by coincidence. Part III features a host of appendixes that give you the tools you can use to build better writing skills. Sections giving tips on punctuation, frequently misused words, and abbreviations are featured. The Grammar Hotline Directory lists dozens of telephone hotlines around the country that will answer your grammar questions. These hotlines can be a saving grace to the professional trying to put the finishing touches on an important letter. The only way that a book like this could ever have been completed is through the cooperation of many professionals who were kind enough to open their files to me and let me pore over their correspondence. Among the professionals without whose help the book would never have reached completion are: Peggy R. Broekel, W. Loren Gary, Lisa T. Gary, Beall D. Gary, Jr., of Haskell Slaughter & Young, Dr. Lindsey Harlan, Martha Jew- ett, Joan Kenney, Jim Lewis, Sam Mickelberg (owner of Sam’s Camera Shop), Howard Palay, Patti Palay, Louis J. Roffinoli, owner of Woodcraft, Matthew Rovner, Lester Seglin, Nancy Seglin, Mark Stoeckle, Bethany Coleman, and John Waggoner. Donna Reiss Friedman, director of the Writing Center and Grammar Hotline at Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was kind enough to grant me permission to reprint the Grammar Hotline Di- rectory that her center compiles every year. Adrienne Hickey, my editor at AMACOM, worked with me patiently to get the manuscript in the best possible shape for publication. Her sug- gestions for organization and letters were invaluable. Evan Marshall, my agent, was once again a wonderful sounding board for the project. On many occasions he was able to get me out of a quagmire that resulted from hundreds of letters cluttering my office. Robert Roen, publisher of the book division at the Bank Administra- tion Institute, has been a diehard supporter of this project. Bob is responsi- ble for the original idea of a book on letter writing for bankers. It is as a result of his idea and his support on this and countless other projects that I was able to complete this book. Jeffrey L. Seglin Boston, Massachusetts July 1989
  • 19. ● ● ● ● ● PART I ● ● ● ● ● The Basics All letters methinks, should be as free and easy as one’s discourse, not studied as an oration. . . . Dorothy Osborne (Lady Temple) Letter to Sir William Temple, October 1653 Successful professionals know the importance of effective letter writing. You can’t have a good business relationship with customers if they don’t know what you’re trying to tell them in a letter. The services or products of a company cannot be marketed if a prospective customer is baffled by the service or product described. How can a salesperson expect to make a sale when, because of a muddled letter, the prospect can’t even understand what it is that’s being sold? Letter writing is crucial to the success of every professional. Without letter-writing skills, the professional’s effectiveness is stymied. Approaching This Book The objective of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters is to help you write effective letters. Ineffective letters are a waste of time and money. This realization should be enough to convince every professional of the need to be a good letter writer. Letters may not seem like the crux of your business, but if you consider that effectively written letters can increase the quality of working relationships and the quantity of business you can attract, and decrease wasted hours and money, you can begin to see the importance of learning to write letters well. You should be prepared to approach this book with one chief goal in mind—to learn how to write effective letters. Remember, too, that al- 1
  • 20. 2 THE BASICS though letter writing is not a simple skill, with practice you can become a good letter writer. Once you learn the basics and put them into practice, your letters will get better and begin to flow more easily. Approach of This Book Before you begin to write more effective letters, you must learn what makes up a good letter. The first part of this book takes you step-by-step through the basics of letter writing. You’ll learn the importance of plan- ning a letter and gathering all the information you need. The plan is put into practice when you decide on the approach your letter will take and the components necessary to achieve the selected approach. The compo- nents of a letter are effective only if you know the proper mechanics in- volved in a letter’s structure and appearance. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and language usage are important if your letter is to be under- stood and well accepted by its reader. You needn’t fear an extensive course in grammar. What you’ll receive here are the fundamental ‘‘common- sense’’ rules of grammar, which are easily learned and should become nat- ural not only to your letter writing, but to all of your other writing as well. There is also a chapter in Part I on word processing. While it won’t answer all of the technical questions you might have about the uses of computers in an office environment, it will guide you toward effectively using both the information and letters in The AMA Handbook of Business Letters on your word-processing system. The second part of this book consists of more than 365 sample letters, divided into categories reflecting various aspects of business. Each chapter also contains a brief analysis of the strong points of many of the sample letters. Most of the sample letters are based on those that were written and used by professionals. Names of people or corporations have been changed, but the content remains essentially unaltered. The letters chosen serve as models for those you may have to write in your everyday business life. You can adapt them to meet your needs or use them as a touchstone to aim toward in your letter writing. The four appendixes to this book consist of helpful lists and rules to refer to in your letter writing. The annotated bibliography directs you to and gives you a brief synopsis of books and publications that may be of use to you in increasing the effectiveness of your letters. As with all things, perfection can be reached only with practice. If you apply the basics learned in the first part of The AMA Handbook of Business Letters, and study the examples presented in the second, your letter-writing skills will become more effective. The end result will be making your read- ers think that what took much thought and planning on your part flowed as smoothly and effortlessly as discourse.
  • 21. ● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 1 ● ● ● ● ● Planning the Letter Planning is a key factor in the accomplishment of any goal. Letter writing is no exception. To successfully construct a clear, effective letter, you need a good plan. Some letters do not require as elaborate a plan as others. A letter to a customer detailing a proposal for a product purchase will obviously need a more elaborate plan than a thank-you note for a business lunch. Common sense can usually dictate how elaborate your plan needs to be. If the information you need to present in a letter is limited enough for you to outline it in your head, there is no real need for an elaborate outline featuring Roman numeral headings and subpoints beneath subpoints. The elaborateness of your plan should suit the elaborateness of the letter to be written. Of course, if you, as a letter writer, are more comfortable constructing detailed outlines for each of your letters, there is nothing wrong with fol- lowing that procedure. With enough practice, however, the simpler letters should flow more easily, and the time you might have spent laboring over outline after outline can be directed more constructively to other areas of your business. The following three steps are essential in the planning of any letter: 1. Researching the facts 2. Analyzing the subject and reader 3. Knowing your objectives and how to accomplish them If you follow these steps as you are planning to write any letter, you should find that your letters will be clear and well received, and will achieve your desired goal. 3 T E A M F L Y
  • 22. 4 THE BASICS Researching the Facts Before you write a letter, it makes sense to know what you plan to talk about. If you wing it and write whatever comes into your head, chances are you will end up with a confused, ineffective letter. Get the facts together prior to composing anything resembling a first draft of a letter. For example, if you are corresponding with a customer, examine all previous correspondence with him or her. Depending upon the volume of this correspondence, and assuming the customer to be a fairly good letter writer, you can learn a good deal about the personality, interests, and values of the person to whom you are writing. As you examine previous correspondence, jot down a note or two about some key traits you discover about this customer. For example, you have gone through your correspondence file for a customer named Sam Johnson. From what he has written you realize the following things about him. He: 䊳 Is committed to existing business relationships 䊳 Places importance on a personal relationship between the profes- sional and the customer 䊳 Often suggests ideas for improving business practices and profes- sional/customer relationships 䊳 Has a strong interest in reducing costs After jotting down this information, try to visualize the person to whom you are writing. You know something about the customer’s inter- ests. To learn more, you might examine the file on business dealings with the customer. If you learn as much as possible about your reader, it will be easier to write a letter that is directed to that reader. After you have collected some facts on your customer, you should direct your attention to the topic or topics to be covered in the letter. Once again, the simplest and ultimately most effective thing to do is to take a piece of paper and write down those topics you plan to cover. Under each topic you might write some examples or a few words recalling a discussion you might have had with your customer about it. Let’s stick with the example of customer Sam Johnson. You have had a business meeting with Mr. Johnson and you want to write a follow-up letter. You already know something about his personality from the earlier research you did. You decide you want to cover the following topics in your letter: 䊳 Thanks for meeting 䊳 His idea for a lockbox —Speeds up collections —Cost-effectiveness
  • 23. 5 PLANNING THE LETTER 䊳 Appreciate his views on business —Loyalty to existing business relationships —Personal relationship 䊳 Arrange for another meeting The order in which you write down ideas for topics is unimportant at this point in the planning stage. The main thing is to make sure the letter covers the topics that will let customer Johnson know you are writing to him about issues that are of concern to him. Timeliness is extremely important in any letter, including the one we are using as an example. You want to get a letter to your customer while the topics being discussed are still fresh in both of your minds. As you are doing your research, determine how long discussion has been taking place about the topics to be included in your letter and what, if any, action has already been taken. A fundamental rule to remember in all of your correspondence is that timeliness is essential for effectiveness. Analyzing the Subject and Reader You’ve completed your research. You know something about the person to whom you are writing. You have a good idea what topics will be covered in the letter. The information you have gathered must now be analyzed so you can logically organize it for the best results. An outline is a good method of organizing topics and visualizing the order in which you wish to discuss them in the letter. You can order the letter chronologically, by importance of the topics discussed, or in what- ever order is most effective. Your choice is flexible, but it must be logical and you should not mix thoughts in sentences or drop them before they are completed. Continuing with the example of the follow-up letter to Sam Johnson, you might decide to outline your letter as follows: Paragraph 1. a. Thanks for meeting b. Appreciate views on business (1) Loyalty to existing business relationships (2) Importance of personal relationships Paragraph 2. a. Idea for lockbox (1) Speed up collections (2) Cost-effectiveness Paragraph 3. a. Arrange for another meeting You’ll notice that the only difference between this rough outline and the list of topics jotted down earlier is the order. The ordering of topics is an important function of the outline.
  • 24. 6 THE BASICS With a letter as simple as this follow-up to Sam Johnson, it is perfectly acceptable to outline the topics in your head and go directly to the rough draft of your letter. The important thing in writing an effective letter is not writing a good outline, but rather being able to write a letter that is ordered logically and is structured well enough for you to know where it is going. If you can do this in your head, fine. You may have to work out some kinks in the rough draft, but if you can save yourself some time and still write an effective letter, more power to you. As your letters become more elaborate, you may find that working with a written outline helps to re- mind you of all the facts and the best order in which to present them. When you analyze the subject matter to be covered in your letter, you should also keep in mind the research you did on your customer. Your research can serve as a brief analysis of your customer’s personality, inter- ests, and values. All of this information is important to remember as you organize the information to be included in your letter. What is important to you may not necessarily be as important to your reader. Your letter must be aimed toward your reader. With outline in hand or in your head, you can now begin to write your letter. Keep in mind that, in order to be as clear as possible, you should write simple sentences, avoiding any unnecessary information. Don’t try to combine ideas in sentences. In order to get your point across most clearly, write about one thing at a time. For example, when you write the first paragraph of your letter to customer Johnson, don’t try to thank him for the meeting and express your appreciation for his views in the same sentence. Take one thought at a time. Thank you for an interesting meeting yesterday. I appreciate the time and information you shared with me. Avoid any excess in the sentences of your letter. If you start rambling, you are bound to get off the track and lose your reader. Remember, to be effective in letter writing you must be able to grab your reader’s attention and make that reader react positively to whatever it is you are writing about. Another important thing to remember is that ideas placed at the be- ginning or end of a paragraph will often stand out most clearly to the reader. This placement of ideas is a good practice to use for emphasis in your letter writing. Knowing Your Objectives and How to Accomplish Them Set an objective for every letter you write. If you want a customer to accept credit terms you are offering, keep that goal in mind as you plan and write
  • 25. 7 PLANNING THE LETTER your letter. As you choose the order of each paragraph and the wording of each sentence, you should keep your goal clearly in mind. The research you did before beginning to write to your customer can help you decide how best to write the letter that will be most effective in getting your reader to react the way you would like. Your research can help make you familiar with your reader and what might have moved that reader to act in the past. The objectives of your follow-up letter to Sam Johnson are to thank him and to attract his business. You know the value he places on loyalty to existing business relationships and on a personal relationship between the professional and the customer, so you might express your understanding of these values. It also might be a good idea, knowing Mr. Johnson’s ability to make good suggestions, to react to a suggestion he might have made at your original meeting. Since your goal is to attract his business, closing your letter by telling him you will call him to set up another meeting is a good approach. Such a closing lets Mr. Johnson know you are appreciative of his ideas and anxious to meet with him again to discuss the possibility of doing business with him. Consider the following example of the com- plete text of a letter to Mr. Johnson: Thank you for an interesting meeting yesterday. I appreciate the time and information you shared with me. I can understand your sense of loyalty to existing business relationships and the importance you place on knowing and being known by the people you do business with. During our conversation you suggested that a lockbox arrangement might speed up the collection of cash available for investment. I would like to investigate this possibility and estimate the dollar benefit to your company. I will give you a call early next week to arrange lunch together as you suggested. Thanks again for your time. I look forward to doing busi- ness together. Judging from the final letter to customer Johnson, the research, analy- sis, and knowledge of objectives were handled well by the letter writer. The result of careful planning in the construction of a letter, such as in the example above, is the increased chance of a positive response from the letter’s reader.
  • 26. ● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 2 ● ● ● ● ● Components of an Effective Letter Planning by itself is not enough to assure you of a positive response from your reader. There are, however, essential components of any letter that can multiply the chances of its effectiveness. Before you begin to worry about the basic mechanics of a letter (structure, appearance, and grammar), think seriously about the attitude you wish to convey. Your attitude is conveyed through your choice of language, tone, and focus of attention. Each of these individual compo- nents is as important as anything else that goes into making up a successful letter. The attitude conveyed in your letter can make the difference between a letter that is tossed aside and one that is read, understood, and reacted to favorably. It is basically very simple to convey a reader-oriented attitude. Remember as you write your letters that you are addressing a specific reader. Your language, tone, and focus of attention must capture the read- er’s interest for your letter to be successful. Language—Clarity vs. Ambiguity Language is a means of communication. This may seem like a foolishly simple observation to make, but remember that for communication to be completed successfully a sender must convey his or her message so that the receiver not only receives, but also understands, the message. If language is not used clearly and accurately, the communication process cannot be successfully completed. A simple rule to remember is that the English you use in your every- 8
  • 27. 9 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER day business should be the same good English used by people in all walks of life. Granted, there may be terms intrinsic to your industry, but there is not a special type of ‘‘business English’’ to be learned and used when writ- ing business letters. Good English is good English. Be clear and straightforward in your letters. Write what you mean. Don’t write in circles, making your reader guess what you mean. Take the following example of a writer who wants to tell a customer about an important organization: My correspondence was initiated to inform you of the high calibre of programs and activities of an organization in which I have enjoyed being involved over the past few years. The County Business Associa- tion has served to keep me informed of, and actively involved in, the current political and economic issues affecting small businesses through its monthly breakfast meetings with interesting and impres- sive speakers, its newsletter on legislative activities in Washington, and several other programs outlined in the attached letter. There are many problems with this example. Let’s start by examining the clarity and directness of the statement. Since the writer of the letter wants to inform the reader about an important organization, why didn’t the writer come right out and do so by writing: I am writing to you about the high-calibre programs and activities offered by the County Business Association, an organization in which I have been involved for the past few years. In the writer’s version of the letter, it is not until the second sentence of the paragraph that we even learn the name of the important organization. If you are writing about a particular subject, and that subject happens to be an organization, why not get its name right up front so the reader might enjoy learning about it throughout the rest of the letter instead of being left in suspense? Instead of using many words (‘‘My correspondence was initiated to inform you of . . .’’), why not say simply, ‘‘I am writing to you about . . .’’? If you come right out and say what you mean instead of beating around the bush, not only are you going to grab your reader’s attention right away, but you also stand a stronger chance of convincing your reader that he or she should go on reading and find out more about what you have to say. Be as direct as possible in your letter writing. If you can convey your message in five words instead of ten, do so. You don’t have a great deal of space in a letter to convey your thoughts. You are not writing a novel or a treatise on the economy. The idea is to get your message across clearly and directly.
  • 28. 10 THE BASICS Avoid the use of pompous or inflated language in your letters. It may sound lofty to write, ‘‘My correspondence was initiated to inform you of . . . ,’’ but you are not writing to see how you can turn a catchy phrase on the page. You are writing to communicate with your reader, and if you mean, ‘‘I am writing to you about . . . ,’’ you should write what you mean. Be clear, direct, and unambiguous in your letter writing. Some- times when you think you are communicating clearly in a letter, the reader receives a different message from the one you intended. If such ambiguity is present in your letters, you can never be sure that the reader will under- stand your message. Ambiguous language is another problem with the ex- ample paragraph above. The writer wrote: The County Business Association has served to keep me informed of, and actively involved in, the current political and economic issues af- fecting small businesses through its monthly breakfast meetings with interesting and impressive speakers, its newsletter on legislative activi- ties in Washington, and several other programs outlined in the attached letter. The writer did not mean to suggest that the current political and economic issues were affecting small businesses as a result of the County Business Association’s monthly breakfast meetings. Because of careless wording, however, the sentence could be read to mean exactly that. The writer may be defensive and quip, ‘‘Well, you knew what I meant,’’ and in this case would be correct. But if we have to read something twice to make sure of its meaning, then the chances are that it was not written clearly in the first place. The writer could have written: Through monthly breakfast meetings with interesting speakers, a newsletter on legislative activities in Washington, and several other programs, the County Business Association has kept me informed of and involved in the current political and economic issues affecting smaller businesses. This version leaves little doubt in the reader’s mind about the writer’s intended meaning. The meaning of an ambiguous passage often cannot be detected as easily as in the above example. A classic example is the following: The loan officer approved the loan for David Marshall because he was obviously of superior moral fiber. From what is written above we cannot tell who is of superior moral fiber, the loan officer or Mr. Marshall. The pronoun ‘‘he’’ can refer to either the loan officer or Mr. Marshall. To avoid ambiguity, the sentence could be written:
  • 29. 11 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER Because David Marshall was obviously of superior moral fiber, the loan officer approved the loan. Or: Because the loan officer was of superior moral fiber, he approved the loan for David Marshall. Tone—Personality The tone or personality of a letter can help you get a positive reaction from a reader. The tone should be set at the very start of a letter and maintained throughout. The tone of any business letter should be courteous and friendly, and written as if you were talking with the reader. You don’t want to get too technical in a letter. Write in language that the reader can understand. The tone should help to show that someone with a personality—a human being—is writing the letter. If the reader believes that the writer is genuinely concerned about how the topic of the letter affects him or her, a positive response is likely. Consider Sample Letter 2.1. The letter sets a tone emphasizing effi- ciency and personal response to the reader from the beginning by address- ing both the writer’s past involvement with the customer and the customer’s needs. Credit manager Nilges comes directly to the point by announcing that his letter contains a credit proposal for his customer’s company. In the first paragraph, the writer establishes the tone of the letter: We are proud to have you as a customer. In the second paragraph, Nilges addresses his customer by his first name, maintaining a personal, courteous tone. Not only does Nilges express posi- tive feelings about his customer, he also suggests that the tone of the entire letter will remain one of positive feelings. Sample Letter 2.1 is written with a positive tone directed toward its reader, which is maintained throughout the letter. If the reader is con- vinced that he is receiving a fair proposal from an official who is commit- ted to helping the reader’s company, then chances are the letter will be successful. A positive tone increases the likelihood of a positive response.
  • 30. 12 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 2.1. Business letter with effective and personal tone. [date] Mr. Bertrand R. Levine Levine’s Lumber Land P.O. Box 567 Richmond, South Dakota 34345 Dear Mr. Levine: Welcome! Your account at Nilges Wood Supply has been approved. We are proud to have you as a customer. Bert, as you probably know, Nilges Wood Supply is a 50-year-old company, with 85 stores in nine Midwestern states. We supply a complete line of building products to our customers, including millwork, plumbing, electrical, paint, kitchen supplies, bath supplies, hardware, and tools. As a leader in this industry, we strive to provide the best service possible to our customers. Our goal is to be your most valuable supplier. Customer satisfaction is our number- one priority. Your approved credit line is $2,000, with billing terms of net 10. Monthly statements are mailed on the first or second working day each month. A service charge is added to past-due balances that are not paid by the twenty-fifth day of the billing month. We at Nilges Wood Supply welcome the opportunity to serve you and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship. Your branch manager is Sheila McGulicuty. Her telephone number is 890-555-8765. Yours very truly, Larry E. Nilges Vice President—Credit Sales len/jls
  • 31. 13 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER Focus of Attention—The ‘‘You Attitude’’ An important concept in letter writing is something called the ‘‘you atti- tude.’’ The ‘‘you attitude’’ insists that the focus of attention in your letters be directed toward the reader, the ‘‘you’’ to whom you are writing. Directing a letter toward a reader may seem very simple, but a letter writer too often incorrectly assumes that his or her interests and knowl- edge are the same as the reader’s. Some legwork needs to be done when you are deciding how to make a letter reader-oriented. This legwork may come at the planning stage of your letter, discussed in Chapter 1. What you need to know are answers to basic questions, such as: What will motivate this reader to react favorably to my letter? What interests this reader? What is this reader’s viewpoint on issues I am addressing in my letter? Sometimes you will not know the answers to these questions. If you sit down, however, and think clearly about what it is that will convince your reader that what you are writing is beneficial to him or her, you have attempted to direct the focus of attention of your letter to the reader, the ‘‘you’’ who is receiving the message. The reader of your letter must be convinced that what you are trying to get him or her to do or react to is of some personal value. If you are responding to someone about the lack of job openings at your bank, you don’t want to scare off a potential employee by sending a cold form letter. Nothing overly elaborate is necessary, of course, but a cordial negative response to a potential employee now may pay off in the future when your bank does need someone with his or her expertise. Sample Letter 2.2, acknowledging an employment application, is courteous to and considerate of the reader even though no jobs are avail- able. Ms. Kenney has written a letter that reflects a sincere interest in Mr. Krauss. By writing, ‘‘We are complimented that you would consider the Bethany Bagel Company as a place of employment,’’ she has flattered Mr. Krauss. This might cause him to react positively to Ms. Kenney’s letter. If he does react positively now, and jobs should open up at a later date for which he is qualified, then Ms. Kenney’s letter has served a good purpose by keeping a positive relationship with a prospective employee. Ms. Kenney has not gotten caught up in the need to use only the personal pronoun ‘‘you’’ in her letter. That is certainly important in focus- ing attention on a reader, but part of the whole idea of creating a personal- ity or tone in a letter is to let the reader know that a living person—an ‘‘I’’—has indeed written the letter, as Ms. Kenney did when she wrote: I would appreciate it if you would notify me if you wish to cancel your application for any reason. T E A M F L Y
  • 32. 14 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 2.2. Form response letter reflecting use of the ‘‘you attitude.’’ [date] Mr. Michael Krauss 69 Camran Terrace Norristown, Pennsylvania 02134 APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT Mr. Krauss, thank you for your recent employment application. We are complimented that you would consider the Bethany Bagel Company as a place of employment. Your application will be retained in our open files. Currently, we do not have any openings, but should one occur you may be contacted for an interview. I would appreciate it if you would notify me if you wish to cancel your application for any reason. JANE KENNEY—VICE PRESIDENT HUMAN RESOURCES mn If Ms. Kenney had used a passive voice here and had written, ‘‘It would be appreciated,’’ instead of ‘‘I would appreciate,’’ she would have risked taking the personality out of her letter, almost as if she were reluc- tant to admit her involvement in the process. A writer must focus the attention of a letter on the reader. If you choose the language and tone for your letter to convey an attitude of com- mitment to and interest in your reader, you will find that your letters will be more successful in grasping your readers’ attention and encouraging them to respond favorably.
  • 33. 15 COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LETTER Length The length of any letter affects its appearance. Professionals or customers who receive a lot of correspondence every day are not going to react favor- ably to three-page letters that could have been written in one page. Come right to the point in your letters. They should be concise and limited to one page if possible. Begin discussing the main topic or topics of your letter in the first paragraph. If you do, your reader will know what to expect as soon as he or she begins to read. Planning and clarity in your ideas can help to limit the length of your letter. Paragraphs should not be too long and difficult to follow. You should not, however, use a string of one-sentence paragraphs, which can result in a staccato-like reading. A concise paragraph with a few sentences that come right to the point should keep the length of your letters manage- able.
  • 34. ● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 3 ● ● ● ● ● Structure: The Parts of a Letter As you are reading this chapter, you will find it helpful to refer to Chapter 4, where various letter formats are discussed. Different formats require different placement of various parts of a letter. Although placement may vary, the content and function of these parts of a letter remain constant. You will easily be able to apply the principles learned here to the formats discussed in Chapter 4. Dateline Every letter should have a dateline. The date appears on a single line two to eight lines below the letterhead or the top margin of the page. With the exception of the simplified-letter format, three lines down from the letterhead is the usual space allotted in most letter formats. Because a letter should be well framed on a page, the placement of the dateline is flexible. The date typed on a letter should be the date on which the letter was dictated, no matter when it is to be typed or mailed, unless, of course, the letter is a standard form letter sent out time and time again. The months of the year should always be spelled out, and the day should always be indicated by a cardinal number (e.g., 1, 2, 3), never using ‘‘nd,’’ ‘‘th,’’ or ‘‘st’’ after the number as you would with ordinal numbers. The order of the dateline is month, day followed by a comma, and year. May 5, 20X4 Sometimes government and foreign correspondence will feature a reversal in the order of day and month, omitting the comma. 16
  • 35. 17 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER 5 May 20X4 The most standard order, however, for the elements in the dateline is month, day followed by a comma, and year. (For a good resource on inter- national correspondence conventions, see Derek Allen’s Addressing Over- seas Business Letters, which is listed in the bibliography.) The placement of the dateline varies depending upon the letter format used. In the full-block format (see Sample Letter 4.1), the dateline is typed flush with the left margin, or sometimes centered, if centering the date blends well with the letterhead. In the simplified-letter format (see Sample Letter 4.4), the dateline is typed flush with the left margin, six lines below the letterhead. The dateline in the block (see Sample Letter 4.2), semiblock (see Sam- ple Letter 4.3), official-style (see Sample Letter 4.5), and hanging-indented (see Sample Letter 4.6) formats is usually flush with the right margin. The last figure of the year should never overrun the right margin. However, in these formats the date can also be either centered under the letterhead, if this adds to the balanced look of the letter, or five spaces to the right of the center of the page. Reference Line The reference line is optional. It is a number or a series of numbers and letters referring to previous correspondence. It is usually included for the benefit of a person who must file all correspondence dealing with the same issues or topics. The number is aligned with and typed directly below the dateline. It is usually typed one to four lines beneath the date unless your company policy stipulates that it be placed elsewhere. (See Sample Letter 4.1 for an example of a reference line.) If your letter is to be more than one page long, the reference number must be carried over to all continuation sheets. On these sheets, the loca- tion of the reference line should correspond to its location on the first sheet, or as indicated by company policy. Personal or Confidential Note The inclusion of a personal or confidential note is optional. When such a notation is used, however, it should always be because the writer wants the letter to remain confidential between him or her and the reader. If such
  • 36. 18 THE BASICS notations are used as gimmicks to attract a reader to a letter, they will lose their effectiveness. Except with the official-style format, the personal or confidential note should be located four lines above the inside address. It does not need to be underlined or typed in all capital letters. If a writer feels it necessary to underline or capitalize, he or she should choose one or the other but not both. Personal PERSONAL Personal The personal note is rarely used in the official-style format because this format is usually reserved for personal letters. Should you decide it is necessary to include a personal note in the official-style format, it should be typed four lines above the salutation. Inside Address The inside address must be included in all letters. With the exception of the official-style format, the inside address is typed two to twelve lines beneath the dateline (or reference line or confidential note, should there be such notations). The placement of the inside address is flexible, depend- ing upon the length of the letter, but four lines is the most common. In the simplified-letter format, the inside address is typed four lines below the dateline or the last previous notation. In the official-style letter, the inside address is typed two to five lines below the last line of the signa- ture block. The inside address is always typed flush with the left margin of the letter. It should be no longer than five lines. No line should cross over the center margin of the page. If a line is too long, it should be broken in half and continued on the next line, indented two spaces. The inside address of a letter addressed to an individual should in- clude that individual’s courtesy title and full name, professional title, com- pany name, and full address. If a woman’s courtesy title is unknown, ‘‘Ms.’’ should be used. Ms. Nancy Simons Production Supervisor Bethany Bagel Company 25 Francis Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02222
  • 37. 19 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER If the courtesy title ‘‘Mrs.’’ is used in a business letter, a woman’s first name, not her husband’s, should be used. If a person’s name and professional title are short enough, they can be separated by a comma and placed together on the first line of the inside address. Mr. Robert Miles, Treasurer If the professional title and company name are short enough, the title and the company name (separated by a comma) can be placed together on the second line of the inside address. Ms. Rebecca Gray Editor, The Tower When a company is being addressed, the inside address should in- clude the name of the company, the individual department desired, and the full address of the company. Pauly Industries, Inc. Distribution Department 79 Grand Forks Drive Winnipeg, Virginia 23444 You should always use the company’s official name in the inside address, including any ampersands, abbreviations, or other items the company uses in its name when it is printed. When the address is too long, the person’s title is sometimes omitted. If you are addressing two or more people, you can either list the names alphabetically on separate lines or use the designation ‘‘Messrs.’’ (Mes- sieurs) for all men or ‘‘Mses.’’ for all women. When using Messrs. or Mses., you omit the addressees’ first names. Mses. Cole, Kenney, and Long or Ms. Bethany Cole Ms. Jane Kenney Ms. Marie Long Sometimes a company uses both a street address and a post office box in its letterhead. If such is the case, use the post office box number in the inside address of your letter and on the envelope. This will ensure that the post office sends your letter to the proper place. The names of numbered streets should be spelled out for streets num- bered one through twelve. Arabic numerals should be used for streets numbered 13 and above.
  • 38. 20 THE BASICS 186 First Street 186 - 13th Avenue Arabic numerals should be used for all house, building, or office numbers, with the exception of the number ‘‘one,’’ which always should be spelled out. One Savin Hill Avenue 210 Savin Hill Avenue When compass directions appear before numbered streets, cardinal numbers (e.g., 16, 17, 18) should be used. If compass directions don’t appear before a numbered street, ordinal numbers (e.g., 16th, 17th, 18th) should be used. 226 West 78 Street 226 - 78th Street When a compass direction appears before a street name, it should be spelled out. If the compass direction follows the street name, it should be abbreviated. 226 West 78 Street 3233 - 38th Street N.W. If a building or house number appears immediately before a numbered street, separate the two with a spaced hyphen. 226 - 78th Street A suite or apartment number following a street address should be placed on the same line as the street address, separated by a comma or two spaces. 25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 408 25 Huntington Avenue Suite 408 Although the inside address should match the address on the enve- lope, it generally looks more attractive to spell out the state name in the inside address. On the envelope, the two-letter state abbreviation should always be used. (See Appendix III for a list of two-letter state abbrevia- tions.) The zip code should be included two spaces after the state in the inside address. Attention Note If you are addressing a letter to a company but wish to direct it to the attention of a specific person, you may include an attention note. The
  • 39. 21 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER attention note is typed two lines below the last line of the inside address and two lines above the salutation. In the full-block, block, or simplified formats, the attention note is typed either flush with the left margin or centered. The attention note is usually not included in the official-style format since this format is gener- ally used for a personal letter and it would already be clear to whom the letter is addressed. The attention note can be included in a hanging- indented letter, but because the format is generally reserved for sales let- ters, the inclusion of an attention note would not be common. The attention note can be written with or without a colon following the word ‘‘attention.’’ The first letter of the main elements of the attention note should be capitalized. Attention: David Marshall Attention David Marshall Attention: Order Department Attention Order Department Salutation The salutation appears in all letters but those using the simplified-letter format. It is usually typed two to four lines below the inside address or the attention note (if there is one). Two spaces is most typical. In the official-style format, the salutation is typed four to six lines below the dateline, since the inside address appears at the bottom of the letter in this format. The word ‘‘Dear’’ before the person’s courtesy title and name is stan- dard. The phrase ‘‘My Dear’’ is no longer in style. The ‘‘D’’ in the word ‘‘Dear’’ should be capitalized. The word should be typed flush with the left margin. If the letter is informal, you address the person by his or her first name in the salutation. Courtesy titles such as Ms. and Mr. should be used where appropriate. Professional or academic titles (e.g., ‘‘Dr.’’) take precedence over courtesy titles for both men and women. A comma before the abbrevia- tions ‘‘Jr.’’ and ‘‘Sr.’’ depends upon the preference of the individual being addressed. The most conventional ways of addressing a group consisting of males and females are: Ladies and Gentlemen: or you can simply use the title of the person you’re addressing. For ex- ample:
  • 40. 22 THE BASICS Dear Editorial Director: Dear Sales Manager: Dear Customer Service Representative: The simplified-letter format contains no salutation. As a result, this format can be used if the letter writer wishes to avoid the problems of sexist language that sometimes exist in choosing the appropriate salutation for a letter. Subject Line The subject line identifies the content of a letter and is an optional addition to all but the simplified-letter formats. The simplified letter always includes a subject line typed three lines below the last line of the inside address. In the full-block, block, semiblock, or hanging-indented formats, the subject line is typed either two lines above or below the salutation. It is typed either flush with the left margin or centered, and consists of the word ‘‘subject’’ followed by a colon and the subject to be covered in the letter. The subject line can be typed in all capital letters or with each impor- tant word capitalized. Sometimes when just the important words are capi- talized, the whole subject line is underlined. When the subject line is typed in all capital letters, it is never underlined. Subject: Proposed Distribution Arrangement Subject: Proposed Distribution Arrangement SUBJECT: PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENT The subject line is generally used when only one subject is covered in a letter. Paragraphs While most word-processing programs will automatically format the vari- ous parts of a letter, it’s good to know the basic formatting rules for letter writing nonetheless. The body of a letter should begin two lines below the salutation or subject line in the full-block, block, semiblock, official-style, and hanging- indented formats. It should begin three lines below the subject line in the simplified-letter format. The letter should be single-spaced within paragraphs and double- spaced between paragraphs. If the letter is very short, double-spacing can
  • 41. 23 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER be used within the paragraphs, using the semiblock style of indentation to indicate new paragraphs. Paragraphs should be indented five or ten spaces in the official or semiblock styles. Five-space indentations are usually standard. In the full- block, block, and simplified-letter formats, no indentation is used. In the hanging-indented format, the first line of the paragraph is flush left and the rest of the paragraph is indented five spaces. Single-spacing within paragraphs and double-spacing between paragraphs are used in the hanging-indented format. Numbered material within letters should be indented five spaces or centered. The numbers should be placed in parentheses or followed by a period. Double-spacing should be used between each item. Punctuation is used either after each item listed in the numbered material or after none of the items. Long quotations should be blocked in the letter, setting the quotation off by indenting all of it five spaces and keeping it single-spaced. Long paragraphs should be avoided in letters. Of course, the use of brief paragraphs should not be carried to a ridiculous extreme by writing a letter full of one-sentence paragraphs that cause it to sound like a ma- chine gun because of the staccato rhythm. Be sensible about paragraph length. Say what you have to say and move on; avoid any padding or inconsequential information. The first paragraph should introduce a letter’s subject or refer to a previous correspondence or conversation to which you are responding. The following paragraphs of your letter should elaborate on the subject set up in the first paragraph. The closing paragraph should briefly summarize the topic and close on a positive note, encouraging a positive working relationship with the letter’s reader. Continuation Sheets The printed letterhead is used only for the first page of a letter. The second and following pages are typed on plain sheets of paper matching the letter- head. The heading on a continuation sheet is typed six lines below the top of the page and includes the addressee’s name, the page number, and the date. At least two lines of text, preferably more, should be carried over for a continuation sheet to be used. In the full-block format, the information in the continuation sheet heading should be typed flush with the left margin. It should include the T E A M F L Y
  • 42. 24 THE BASICS page number on the first line, the addressee’s courtesy title and full name on the second, and the date on the third. Page 2 Mr. David Marshall May 5, 20X5 The block, semiblock, official-style, or hanging-indented formats can use either the flush left continuation sheet heading shown above, or a con- tinuation typed on one line with the addressee’s name typed flush left, the page number centered and set off by spaced hyphens, and the date flush with the right margin. Mr. David Marshall - 2 - May 5, 20X5 Complimentary Close The complimentary close must be included in all but the simplified-letter format. It is typed two lines below the last line of the body of the letter. In the full-block format, the complimentary close should be flush with the left margin. In the block, semiblock, official-style, and hanging- indented formats, the complimentary close should start at the center of the page, directly under the dateline, about five spaces to the right of center, or at a point that would put the end of the longest line at the right margin. However, note that it should never cross over the right margin. The simpli- fied letter has no complimentary close. The first letter of the first word of the complimentary close should be capitalized. The entire complimentary close should be followed by a comma. The choice of the proper complimentary close depends upon the de- gree of formality of your letter. Among the complimentary closes to choose from are: Yours sincerely, Very sincerely yours, Sincerely yours, Sincerely, Cordially, Most sincerely, Most cordially, Cordially yours, A friendly or informal letter to a person with whom you are on a first- name basis can end with a complimentary close such as:
  • 43. 25 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER As ever, Best regards, Kindest regards, Best wishes, Regards, Signature Block Directly under the complimentary close, the letter writer signs his or her name. Four lines below the complimentary close, and aligned with it in the full-block, block, semiblock, official-style, and hanging-indented for- mats, the writer’s name is typed, usually the same way it is signed. In the simplified-letter format, the letter writer’s name is typed in all capital let- ters five lines below the last line of the letter, flush with the left margin. Single-spaced beneath the typed name, the letter writer’s title is typed, unless it is short enough to fit on the same line as the name after a comma. If the letterhead includes the letter writer’s business title and the busi- ness name, these are not typed again in the signature block. If a letterhead is not used and your letter is a formal one requiring the business name, type the business name in all capital letters two lines below and aligned with the complimentary close, or, in the case of the simplified-letter for- mat, two lines below the last line of the letter. Directly below the typed business name should be the signature. Four lines below the typed business name, the letter writer’s name should be typed. If the business name is long, it can be centered beneath the compli- mentary close in the block and semiblock format letters. Yours truly, BETHANY BAGEL COMPANY Louis Leigh, President If a woman wishes to use a courtesy title before her name, then Ms. should be enclosed in parentheses before the typed name. This is the only title that may precede the name in the signature block. Academic degrees (e.g., Ph.D., M.B.A.) or professional designations (e.g., C.L.U., C.P.A., C.F.P.) follow the typed name and are separated by a comma. A person signing the letter for someone else should initial just below and to the right of the signature.
  • 44. 26 THE BASICS Yours truly, Louis Leigh, President If an assistant signs a letter in his or her name for someone else, the assis- tant’s name and title are typed below the signature. Yours truly, Edward Cole Assistant to Mr. Leigh Identification Line The identification line is an optional addition to any letter. It consists of the initials of either the typist or the writer and the typist, and is typed flush with the left margin two lines below the signature block. The identification line can be typed in a variety of ways. The typist’s lowercase initials may be typed alone. js The writer’s initials may be typed uppercase followed by a colon or virgule followed by the typist’s lowercase initials. MN:js MN/js The writer’s initials and the typist’s initials can both be uppercase, or both lowercase. MN:JS MN/JS mn:js mn/js Any version of the identification line above can be used as long as it serves the purpose of identifying the typist of the letter. In the odd case that a letter should be dictated by one person, typed by another, and signed by a third, the identification line should include the signer’s uppercase initials followed by a colon followed by the dictator’s
  • 45. 27 STRUCTURE: THE PARTS OF A LETTER uppercase initials, followed by another colon, followed by the typist’s low- ercase initials. MN:JS:ms Enclosure and Attachment Notations If an enclosure is included with the letter, one of the following should be typed two lines below the identification line or the signature block if there is no identification line: Enclosure Enc. Encl. enc. encl. If there is more than one enclosure the plural of one of the above notations is used, with the number of enclosures indicated before the notation, or after it in parentheses. Enclosures (2) 2 Enclosures encs. (2) 2 encs. Encs. (2) 2 Encs. The enclosures should be placed behind the letter in order of impor- tance. If a check is one of the enclosures, it should be placed in front of the letter. The enclosures can be numbered and listed next to the enclosure no- tation, one per line. If they are to be returned, indicate such in parentheses next to the item. encs. (2) 1. Credit analysis worksheet (please return) 2. International financing brochure If you’re sending a letter via e-mail and plan to include several attached documents, you should use the word ‘‘Attachment’’ instead of ‘‘Enclosure’’ and follow the same rules as those for enclosures. Distribution Notation If you would like the recipient of the letter to know to whom you are sending copies of the letter, a distribution notation is used. Sometimes distribution notations appear only on copies of the letter.
  • 46. 28 THE BASICS The distribution notation consists of the words ‘‘Copy to’’ (or ‘‘Cop- ies to’’) or the abbreviation and colon ‘‘cc:’’ followed by the recipient’s or recipients’ names. Copy to Louis Leigh cc: Louis Leigh Multiple recipients are listed alphabetically by full name or by initials, de- pending upon the letter writer’s preference or company policy. Copies to: Louis Leigh David Marshall If other information about the recipient is useful (e.g., a company’s name) it should be placed next to the person’s name in parentheses. Copies to: Louis Leigh (Bethany Bagel Company) David Marshall (The David Marshall Agency) cc: LL (Bethany Bagel Company) DM (The David Marshall Agency) If space is tight and a distribution notation is essential, it can be typed a single-space above either the enclosure notation or the identification line. Postscript A postscript is rarely used in a business letter unless it is in a sales letter to emphasize a point or to make a special offer. It is typed flush with the left margin two to four lines below the last notation in a letter. The writer should initial the postscript. The abbreviation ‘‘P.S.’’ should not be used before a postscript.
  • 47. ● ● ● ● ● CHAPTER 4 ● ● ● ● ● Appearance of the Letter A friend of mine is the president of a public relations company he founded in Boston. His customers include small businesses, restaurants, and finan- cial services companies throughout New England. He is a superb spokes- man for his company and is adept at convincing companies and executives that his organization can serve them better than other public relations firms can. One reason for my friend’s success is the contacts he’s built over the several years he’s worked as a public relations professional. Another is the good press he has gotten his clients. But another important reason for his success is his appearance. He is well groomed and dresses well—nothing ostentatious, but when he arrives for a business meeting, the customer can tell that he or she is dealing with a public relations professional who at least appears to be very professional. In letter writing too, appearance is very important. The message you are sending is obviously the most important aspect of your letter. However, if the reader opens an envelope and finds a note scrawled across a piece of notebook paper, the most important of messages is not going to get through to the reader. There are certain conventions used in letter writing that are fairly well established, yet they are flexible enough to allow you to communicate ex- actly what you want to your reader. If you take into consideration the appearance of your letter—the stationery, format, length, and envelope— your reader will be drawn to it. Once your reader gives your letter his or her attention, your message is sure to get through. Stationery Letterhead design varies from business to business, but it usually consists of at least the following items: 29
  • 48. 30 THE BASICS 䊳 Business logo 䊳 Business full, legal name 䊳 Full street address and/or post office box number 䊳 City, state, and zip code 䊳 Telephone number 䊳 Fax number 䊳 E-mail address 䊳 Web site address There are important considerations to make when choosing a letter- head design. The information included should be uncluttered and read- able. The design should be simple enough for the reader to find the information he or she needs without being distracted from reading the rest of the letter. Business stationery is usually white or some other conservative color. The standard size of the stationery is 81 /2 by 11 inches. Margins on the typed letter should be consistent. The margins on the top and the bottom of the letter should be the same. The side margins should also be equal to one another. The size of the margins depends upon the length of the letter to be written. Long letters typically have smaller margins than short letters. Margins of one inch for long letters and two inches for short letters is a good rule of thumb to follow. If a letter is very short, containing a few short sentences or a couple of short paragraphs, then a half-sheet of stationery can be used. The half- sheet measures 81/2 by 51/2 inches. It is usually printed as a miniature ver- sion of the letterhead, with the same letterhead design as the normal-size stationery. The full-block, block, or semiblock letter formats discussed in this chapter can be used on the half-sheet. The techniques and rules governing letter writing apply to letters written on a half-sheet. Some professionals will use an executive letterhead. In addition to the basic elements contained in a letterhead, the executive letterhead features the executive’s printed name and title beneath the letterhead. With all types of letters, the letterhead is always used only as the first sheet of a letter. If the typed letter is more than one page, a plain sheet of paper matching the letterhead should be used for subsequent pages. (See the section on continuation sheets in Chapter 3 for more information.) One other element to keep in mind: Word-processing programs en- able a writer to choose among a myriad of different type fonts. If your company does not have a standard font it uses in all correspondence, then limit yourself in how many different fonts you use with one letter. One font should do the trick. The more readable the font, the better. Consider
  • 49. 31 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER a font that is easy to read such as Times, Times New Roman, Courier, Arial, or Helvetica. Various Formats for Letter Writing The format used for a letter is typically determined by the person writing the letter. Sometimes a company will have a house style for a format in which letters must be written, but typically the writer must choose the format. The full-block, block, semiblock, and simplified-letter formats pre- sented here can all be used effectively for writing any business letter. Some letter writers find that the simplified letter is not traditional enough for their taste; others find it a perfect solution to the problem of sexist lan- guage in letter salutations. Be that as it may, these four formats are the standard ones used for most business letters written today. The hanging-indented and official-style formats discussed here are not used for everyday business letters. Their use indicates that a particular type of letter is being written. A discussion of the appropriate use of these formats is included in this chapter. Chapter 3 discusses the placement and function of the parts of each of the letter formats discussed in this chapter. You might find it useful to look back at Chapter 3 for reference when you are studying the various letter formats in this chapter. Full Block The full-block format, sometimes called ‘‘complete block’’ or simply ‘‘block,’’ is shown in Sample Letter 4.1. In this format, all the lines of the letter, from the dateline to the last notation, are flush with the left margin. Paragraphs are not indented but rather begin flush with the left mar- gin. Single-spacing is used within the paragraphs, and double-spacing be- tween. The dateline is most often typed three lines below the letterhead. De- pending upon the length of the letter, however, it may be typed anywhere from two to six lines below the letterhead. If there is a reference line, it should be typed directly below the dateline. The inside address is most often typed four lines below the dateline (or reference line if there is one) but may be typed anywhere from two to twelve lines below the dateline depending upon the length of the letter. If there is an attention line it should be typed two lines below the address and two lines above the salutation.
  • 50. 32 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 4.1. Example of full-block format letter. [date] A-354-29 Mr. Alexander Campbell Bethany Bagel Company 14 Pendleton Road Scots, Pennsylvania 00012 Dear Mr. Campbell: The records you requested are enclosed. Due to the technical difficulties we have in processing microfilm, I am unable to provide better quality copies. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If I can be of any further assistance, please call me or another customer service representative on our toll-free number 1-800-555-1212. Sincerely, Ambrose Kemper Customer Service Representative jls Enclosure The salutation should be typed two lines below the inside address or attention line if there is one. If there is a subject line, it is typed two lines above or below the salutation. The body of the letter begins two lines below the salutation or subject line if there is one. Two lines below the last line of the letter, the complimentary close is typed. The signature block is typed four lines below the complimentary close. An identification line is typed two lines below the signature block. All other notations (e.g., enclosure, distribution) are typed two lines below the identification line.
  • 51. 33 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER Block The block format, sometimes called ‘‘modified block,’’ is shown in Sample Letter 4.2. This format differs from the full-block in the position of the dateline (and reference line if there is one) and the complimentary close and signature block. The dateline is usually aligned with the right margin, although some- times it is centered in relation to the printed letterhead if this presents a more balanced look. In the samples in this book, the dateline is flush with the right margin. The complimentary close and signature block can correctly be placed in any of several locations (see Chapter 3). In the samples in this book, they appear just to the right of center, but you should realize that other positions may also be used. Paragraphs are not indented. The spacing of various parts of the block-format letter is the same as for the full-block format. SAMPLE LETTER 4.2. Example of block format. [date] Mr. Jacob L. Martin Investigative Management 25 Huntington Avenue, Suite 408 Boonton, New Jersey 07005 Subject: Membership of Bill Senyl Dear Mr. Martin: As we feared, Mr. Senyl is no longer a member of the Investment Managers Society of America. He was a member for just one year from May 20X6 through May 20X7, at which point he allowed his membership to lapse. In his application, he indicated licenses and registrations in accounting, life insurance, law, real estate, and securities. He also indicated he was a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He indicated his highest level of education was a Ph.D., not a Masters degree, as you mention he suggested to you. He also stated that he had memberships in the American Bar Association, American Society of Certified Life Underwriters, and the Million Dollar Round Table. T E A M F L Y
  • 52. 34 THE BASICS Page 2 Mr. Jacob L. Martin [date] We certainly appreciate your interest and assistance. Your information will be lodged with the membership department of the Investment Managers Society of America. Sincerely, Lisa Antolini General Counsel la/js The block format is widely used because of the balanced look it gives to a letter. Since everything is flush with the left margin in the full-block format, it almost appears as if the letter might tip over to the left. In the block format, since the date, complimentary close, and signature block are toward the right, the letter is balanced in place and not tipped to either side. Semiblock The semiblock format is shown in Sample Letter 4.3. The only difference between this and the block format is that the paragraphs in the semiblock format are indented. Simplified Letter The simplified-letter format departs significantly from the formats de- scribed thus far; an example appears in Sample Letter 4.4.
  • 53. 35 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER SAMPLE LETTER 4.3. Example of semiblock format letter. [date] Mr. Roger Perkins 95 Belltoll Road Ketchum, Idaho 00005 Dear Mr. Perkins: Thank you for sending your work samples and discussing your views about the editor’s position we have open. I’ve reviewed your work and reflected at length on our last conversation, particularly your hesitancy to take on an assignment to demonstrate your editorial approach to analytical topics. Since we talked I’ve interviewed several other candidates with substantial editorial credentials and have become convinced that proven analytical skills or technical knowledge of the investments area are important prerequisites for the job. My conclusion is that your background is not appropriate for the position and, frankly, that you would not enjoy the job during a necessary period of training. If, however, you are interested in establishing a freelance relationship with our publication, I’d be happy to consider using you. Thanks again, Roger, for your interest in the job. Cordially, Gloria Hoagland Publisher GH/ec
  • 54. 36 THE BASICS SAMPLE LETTER 4.4. Example of simplified-letter format. [date] Professor Alan Campbell Lazarus College 43 Lorraine Terrace Plattsburgh, New York 02134 OPINION LETTERS ON MARKETING TEXTBOOK Enclosed is a group of opinion letters for your text, Marketing: A New Approach. We hope these letters will be of considerable interest to you and help you in making revisions to the second edition of the book. As more of these letters come in, I will send groups of them along to you so that you may read the comments your colleagues have made about your book. OTTO SCOTT—EDITOR OS/js Enclosures The most obvious variation in the simplified-letter format is its lack of salutation and complimentary close. It is a good way to address an unknown audience that may consist of both men and women or only one of these two groups. In a simplified letter, all lines are flush with the left margin, including the dateline, reference line (if there is one), and the signature block. The dateline is typed six lines below the letterhead. The inside address is typed four lines below the dateline or reference line. A subject line always is included in the simplified-letter format. It is
  • 55. 37 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER typed in all capital letters, three lines below the inside address and three lines above the body of the letter. Paragraphs are not indented in the simplified-letter format. Five lines below the body of the letter, the signature block is typed in all capital letters. The writer’s signature is signed above the signature block. If there is an enclosure notation it is typed a single space below the identification line. Any other notations are typed two lines below the enclosure notation. If a continuation page is needed, the heading should be the same as used with the full-block format. The addressee’s name should appear six lines from the top of the plain sheet, flush with the left margin. The page number should be typed directly below the name, and the date directly below the page number. Official Style The official-style format is used mostly for personal correspondence and is often written by executives on their personalized business stationery. This format is the same as the semiblock format with the exception of the place- ment of the inside address, which is typed two to five lines below the signature block. See Sample Letter 4.5 for an example of an official-style letter. If there is an identification line in the official-style format, it is typed two lines below the inside address. Any enclosure notations are typed two lines below the identification line. SAMPLE LETTER 4.5. Example of an official-style format letter. [date] Dear Ambrose: Your article that appears in December’s Guam City Magazine made good reading. It was informative and well written for the layman like me. On behalf of Alan, Mike, and Gus, whom you cited in the article, as well as the whole crew here at Natick Nautical, I want to thank you for including us in the article. The exposure is great, especially in such a well written and widely read piece.
  • 56. 38 THE BASICS Page 2 Ambrose [date] Thank you again. Regards, Paul Pendelton Mr. Ambrose Kemper Guam City Magazine One Symphony Place Guam City, Arizona 72177 PP:js Hanging Indented The use of the hanging-indented letter format is reserved for sales or ad- vertising letters. This unorthodox format, shown in Sample Letter 4.6, is believed to attract the attention of the reader. The first line of each paragraph of the hanging-indented letter is flush with the left margin. The remaining lines of that paragraph are indented five spaces. Single-spacing is used within paragraphs and double-spacing between. The dateline is flush with the right margin and typed three lines below the letterhead. The inside address and salutation are flush with the left margin and blocked exactly as in the block format discussed earlier in this chapter. The complimentary close, signature block, and all subsequent notations are positioned similarly to the way they are placed in the semi- block letter format. The main difference between the hanging-indented format and the semiblock format is the difference in the indentation of paragraphs. If there is a postscript in a hanging-indented letter, it is also typed with the first line flush left and the remaining lines indented five spaces.
  • 57. 39 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER SAMPLE LETTER 4.6. Example of a hanging-indented format letter. [date] Ms. Jane Kenney 1978 Malden Place Summit, New Jersey 01005 Dear Ms. Kenney: For a very limited time—and only to a select, qualified group—I’m authorized to send the next issue of The Armchair Reader’s Review absolutely free. Reply by March 1, 20X5, and you’ll receive—without risk or obligation—the one publication dedicated to giving the inside knowledge on the latest in economic developments. Mail the enclosed postage-paid reservation card by March 1, 20X5, and the next issue of The Armchair Reader’s Review is yours free. At the same time, we’ll reserve in your name a full year’s subscription at a special introductory rate. When you receive your free issue, read it and then decide. If you can do without The Armchair Reader’s Review, write ‘‘cancel’’ on the bill when it comes. You’ll owe nothing. Your first issue will be your last. Or you can pay just $11.95 for 11 more issues—saving $24.05 off the newsstand price—and enjoy the insight that each monthly issue of The Armchair Reader’s Review delivers. Remember that this is a special offer good for a limited time only. Please reply today. Cordially, Alan Sitton Publisher AS:JS Enclosure
  • 58. 40 THE BASICS Envelopes The appearance of the envelope adds to the overall professional appearance of your letter. The address should be typed in the approximate horizontal and vertical center of the business envelope. With the exception of using the two-letter abbreviation for the state, the address on the envelope should appear exactly as in the inside address of the letter (see Chapter 3). The use of the two-letter state abbreviation will expedite postal service. (See Appendix III for a list of two-letter state abbreviations.) The addressee’s name should be typed on the first line. If there is space, the addressee’s title can be typed next to the name on the first line, separated by a comma. On the second line, a single-space down, the per- son’s title is typed if it did not fit on the first line. If the company’s name will also fit on the second line, type it next to the title, separated by a comma. A single-space below, the company name is typed if it didn’t fit on the second line. The complete street address or post office box number, whichever is used in the inside address, is typed on the next line. The city followed by a comma, the two-letter state abbreviation, followed by two spaces, and the zip code are typed as the last line of the address. If you are addressing a company rather than an individual, type the company’s name on the first line and the department name or attention line on the second line. The sender’s full name and address should appear in the upper-left corner of the letter. Usually the business name will be imprinted on the envelope. The stamp is placed in the upper-right corner of the envelope. Any special mailing notations should be typed in all capital letters directly below where the stamp is to go. On-arrival notations should be typed in all capital letters about nine lines below the top left of the envelope, aligned with the end of the return address. Italics and script writing should not be used because they might confuse the postal service. Memorandums More often than not, memorandums are written as interoffice correspon- dence. Different businesses use different formats for their memos. Busi- nesses often have preprinted memo forms that resemble the company’s stationery. Usually these forms will feature the following information at the top:
  • 59. 41 APPEARANCE OF THE LETTER TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: In many word-processing software packages, a memo feature allows the user to call up one of many templates, which includes the above headings. When a business does not have preprinted memo forms available, a memo writer can use the above format on a blank piece of stationery. The memo’s message is begun two to four spaces below the subject line of the memo heading. When you consider writing a memo, remember: 1. Write a memo only when it is necessary. Professionals are already drowning in a sea of paper. Don’t compound the problem by add- ing unnecessary missives to the flood. If you don’t really need to write the memo, don’t. 2. Keep your memos as brief as possible. The memo is the ideal place for the professional to show how competent a writer he or she is. The memo must be clear, concise, and to the point. The reader must be able to grasp the message quickly and clearly. Memos can run on to more than one page, but only when absolutely necessary. MEMORANDUM 4.1. Memo to employees about new benefits. TO: Employees Participating in Disability Insurance Plan FROM: Etsuko S. Yukki, Benefits Administrator DATE: August 13, 20X4 SUBJECT: Long-Term Disability Plan Your long-term disability insurance carrier until now has been Security of America. The cost to you for this coverage has been $.30 per $100. As of August 1, we are pleased to announce that we have changed long-term disability carriers. As a result, your costs have been reduced by 25%. The new carrier on the long-term disability plan is Sambuki General Life Insurance Ltd. Plan benefits through Sambuki General will remain the same, but rates have been reduced retroactive to August 1. As a result, you will see a rate reduction in your August paycheck. Your cost will be reduced to $.22 per $100 in monthly earnings. The company will continue to pay 50% of the cost of your plan. Please call me in the New York office if you have any questions.